Dan Gillian, vice president and general manager of Boeing’s Mobility, Surveillance and Bombers division, discusses his portfolio’s prominent presence in the Pacific Northwest, why he loves his job and how the business is turning the corner with the help of a skilled workforce.
Since assuming his role in November 2022, Dan Gillian has led the division through a critical time for Boeing’s defense business. With a focus on delivering advanced capability, Boeing suppliers and stakeholders have supported the U.S. and allies in their evolving mission to ensure security and stability for a rapidly changing global environment.
Now in his 24th year with the company, Gillian says that Boeing’s skilled workforce in the Puget Sound region is essential to delivering the military airplanes they manufacture for the Department of Defense and U.S. allies.
Q: When people think of Boeing’s impact in the Pacific Northwest, they tend to think of Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) first. What is the Mobility, Surveillance & Bombers (MS&B) portfolio and how is it connected to the region?
A: It’s understandable why Washingtonians would think that way. Since William Boeing launched The Boeing Company from the “Red Barn” more than 100 years ago, some of the most iconic commercial aircraft in history have been built in the Pacific Northwest.
Mobility, Surveillance & Bombers is one of four divisions in Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) and is headquartered in Seattle. The portfolio includes several aircraft built or modified in the Pacific Northwest. The KC-46A Pegasus (a multi-mission aerial refueler) and P-8A Poseidon (a multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft), are currently in production in Everett and Tukwila, respectively. The 747-based airframes for VC-25A — or Air Force One when the president of the United States is on board — and its next-generation replacement, VC-25B, were built in Everett. The E-3 AWACS (Airborne Warning & Control System) was originally designed and built here, and some modifications still occur here. Design work for the U.S. Air Force E-7 AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control) aircraft is also taking place in the Puget Sound region.
The portfolio features commercial derivative products — like the Pegasus and Poseidon — that share the same airframes as their commercial cousins. Leveraging an existing design of an airframe with thousands in service around the globe creates remarkable production and lifecycle sustainment advantages for Boeing’s military customers. Of course, our defense aircraft are purpose-built and modified to meet the needs of the military customer.
Speaking of commercial aircraft, MS&B builds parts for the 777X — which will be the world’s largest and most efficient twin-engine jet — in the Pacific Northwest. This is another example of a united and collaborative production effort between employees from the two business units, BDS and Boeing Commercials Airplanes (BCA).
MS&B also includes bombers, like the B-52 Stratofortress. The B-52 is a long-range bomber once built in Seattle that has been in service since the 1950s. It continues to undergo upgrades that will allow it to contribute to the U.S. National Security Strategy for decades to come.
MS&B’s mission is delivering advanced military solutions for refueling, mobility, reconnaissance and early warning, and deterrence. Along with the rest of our BDS colleagues, we recognize and embrace that our work is mission critical, and it drives all that we do.
Q: What is the current demand for MS&B products and how are these aircraft adapting to meet the needs of the customer?
A: Our products are performing well for our customers, and they are needed in today’s global security environment to maintain peace. We continue to see a strong demand for our products — especially the products built in the Pacific Northwest — because of their reliability and proven performance, as well as the advanced capabilities they provide for the modern mission, such as data connectivity.
Data is the most important strength in the battlespace right now. Victory belongs to the side with decision superiority. The ability to know and make sense of a complex situation, then act smarter and more swiftly — that is who wins. Our portfolio puts data connectivity in the field now, and we are working with the U.S. Air Force and allies to evolve it.
The E-7 is a great example of maintaining peace through strength. This platform provides unparalleled ability to scan the battlespace, communicate with surface, ground and air assets and enable integration across the joint force. These advantages allow it to “conduct” its peers, just like a maestro in front of their world-class orchestra. Australia, South Korea and Turkey are operating this aircraft today, and the United States and United Kingdom will take advantage of its advanced capability soon. NATO recently announced its intent to replace its AWACS fleet with E-7s, as well.
The KC-46A Pegasus is another Washington-built platform that is providing next-generation capability to joint forces around the world. The KC-46A is a combat-proven multi-mission aerial refueler that can capture and relay information to the crew and fleet. It is much more than an aerial refueler and has been called a “game changer” as it replaces the Boeing-built KC-135.
Q: Can you share more about the Boeing defense workforce in Washington?
A: There are thousands of BDS employees in Washington supporting the aircraft we deliver to the U.S. military and allies.
There are software engineers like Son Tran, who fled Vietnam as a seven-year-old to escape an oppressive regime. Son is now honored to help defend the country he loves by supporting the E-7 program alongside his older brother, Vinh.
There are systems engineers like Jami Bunker, who grew up in rural Michigan. Jami learned the value of hard work from her parents, and that has motivated her throughout her career. She is now a systems integration engineering team manager for the KC-46 program.
These employees constantly find new ways to innovate our products through enhanced connectivity, software upgrades, logistical support, production processes and more.
About 20 percent of BDS employees are veterans, like KC-46 Quality Senior Manager Kareem Foster. Kareem grew up with a passion for aviation and served 20 years in the military as an aircraft maintenance technician. Now, he continues to proudly support a global mission as a civilian.
Of course, a robust network of suppliers located across the country is also essential for providing the thousands of components that are used to build each aircraft. Take the KC-46 program, for instance. More than 37,000 American workers representing more than 670 businesses in 43 states support this single program. From Farwest Aircraft in Pacific, Washington (which builds ground support equipment and tooling for the Pegasus) to Sensor Systems in St. Petersburg, Florida (which makes every pressure sensor for the tanker’s refueling boom by hand), each business plays a crucial role in keeping dozens of aircraft in the skies and operating effectively.
All of these citizens in the Puget Sound region and across the United States, play a huge role in defending American freedoms. They are extremely proud of the work they do, and it shows every single day.
Q: You have led the MS&B division for just over a year now. What type of culture do you want to cultivate both in this region and across the portfolio?
A: Instilling a strong culture of transparency and collaboration has been my priority since day one. That means listening to others, asking for help when needed and being intentional with our time spent together. We encourage feedback from all corners of the business by using Seek, Speak & Listen skills that are a core part of our culture. We use that feedback to strengthen our team and our work.
Another priority is embracing Lean principles, which are aimed at maximizing productivity and minimizing waste. The goal here is to drive stable and predictable performance for customers and stakeholders. The P-8 program is an excellent example of Lean implementation. It is focused on projects that will optimize maintenance tasks to increase operating efficiency while still placing the utmost importance on safety and quality. Over the past decade, the team has reduced the time and cost it takes to build the aircraft by focusing on continuous improvement.
Instilling a strong culture of collaboration also means hiring the right people. Working alongside teammates who believe in our culture makes all the difference. We are always on the lookout for skilled and curious candidates who can elevate our team by working with teammates to solve tough and complex problems.
Q: What has been your greatest challenge to this point during your tenure with MS&B?
A: My goal in 2023 was to drive stability, productivity and predictability into everything we do. This has been the priority for all of BDS. As we talked earlier, building a culture of transparency was the first step — then getting back to the fundamentals such as using Lean practices. We also must take a realistic view of the world when it comes to cost and delivery time lines. Things are different after the COVID-19 pandemic and as an industry, we are turning the corner, but there is more work to be done in getting the global supply chain healthy again.
I am proud of the team. Together we have made great progress in returning BDS to a more predictable business and meeting customer commitments. I look forward to the gains we will make in 2024.
Q: You mentioned passionate employees as a key to MS&B’s success. When did you find a passion for aviation?
A: From an early age, I wanted to build airplanes. I grew up going to air shows with my family and constantly talking about aviation, which came easy since several of my family members are pilots. That’s when the passion began. Naturally, I chased that passion to college, where I studied aerospace engineering. Fast forward to 2012, and I was the P-8 program manager when we delivered the first P-8A Poseidon to the U.S. Navy. If I wasn’t already completely hooked on this field by then, that airplane did the job! I’m the same kid who used to spend summers at the Oshkosh Air Show, except now I get to build planes even more advanced than I ever could’ve imagined. I’m incredibly lucky that I get to live my childhood dream every day. And working alongside thousands of teammates who share the same passion I do, makes the journey even sweeter. I love my job!
