McDonnell Douglas (absorbed by Boeing 1997)
nodeDefense & Military-Industrial · Darknet & Cyber
A 1997 merger erased a major rival and helped shrink the whole aerospace world down to two giants.
Who they are
McDonnell Douglas, an aerospace prime contractor formed in 1967 and absorbed by Boeing in 1997.
What they do
It was a major maker of both military and commercial aircraft that vanished into Boeing.
How it works
It built the F-15, F/A-18, Apache helicopter, C-17, and DC-10/MD-80 airliners, then merged into Boeing in August 1997 in a $13B stock deal — one of the four big 'Last Supper'-era defense mergers. The deal ended head-to-head competition in fighters and widebody jets.
Why it matters
The merger helped create today's Boeing-vs-Airbus duopoly, leaving far fewer players in a critical industry.
The engine's record — word for word
Report #87. Aerospace prime formed 1967 by merger of McDonnell Aircraft + Douglas Aircraft. Major programs: F-15 Eagle, F/A-18 Hornet, AH-64 Apache, C-17 Globemaster III, DC-10/MD-80/MD-11 commercial. **August 1997 merged into Boeing** ($13B stock transaction) — one of the four canonical Last Supper-era consolidations. The merger eliminated head-to-head competition between Boeing and McDonnell Douglas in fighter aircraft and commercial widebody, creating the modern aerospace duopoly with Airbus.
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