Overview

Leanne Caret served as President and CEO of Boeing Defense; Space and Security (BDS) from 2016 to 2022; overseeing the company's massive military and space contracting operations. Under her leadership; BDS experienced significant cost overruns and quality problems across multiple programs. The KC-46 Pegasus tanker program; Boeing's replacement for the Air Force's aerial refueling fleet; was plagued by defects including a problematic remote vision system and debris left inside fuel tanks. The Starliner crew capsule experienced repeated delays and failures; including a botched uncrewed orbital test in December 2019 caused by software errors. The Air Force One replacement program (VC-25B) went billions of dollars over Boeing's fixed-price contract; contributing to massive losses for the defense division. Caret's division also oversaw the SLS (Space Launch System) core stage; which experienced significant schedule delays and cost growth. In 2022; Boeing's defense division reported $2.8 billion in losses across several fixed-price development programs. Critics argued that Boeing's defense problems stemmed from the same management culture that produced the 737 MAX disasters: prioritizing financial engineering and executive compensation over engineering excellence; and cutting costs in ways that undermined quality and safety. Caret retired from Boeing in April 2022.

Key Affiliations

Controversies & Concerns

Related Investigations (1)

Known Associates & Connections

Sources & Documentation

1 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports