Boeing shifts duties of Shanahan, Bair and Cave

Boeing (Seattle, Wash.) Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Scott Carson has named Pat Shanahan VP & GM of the 787 program. Shanahan moves from vice president, Missile Defense Systems at Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (IDS), and succeeds Mike Bair, who becomes VP Business Strategy & Marketing for Commercial Airplanes, replacing Mike Cave, who moved to a position at Boeing Corporate Offices. Cave, will join the company’s executive council and be based in Chicago.

The move marks a return to Commercial Airplanes for Shanahan, who has led both the 757 and 767-400ER programs. Previously, Bair served as vice president and general manager for Commercial Aviation Services.

Boeing is the prime contractor on the GMD, leading a team of top aerospace companies that have developed, tested and deployed a technically complex system for defending against ballistic missile attacks. The latest test of the system-the technical challenges of which are often described as “hitting a bullet with a bullet”-occurred Sept. 28 when the Boeing-led GMD system was able to track, intercept and destroy a ballistic missile target over the Pacific Ocean.

The 787 program launch in 2004 has resulted in 710 orders from 50 airlines from around the world. Information: www.boeing.com