Boeing names Aurora vet Cherry to head Phantom Works arm

Boeing names former Aurora Flight Sciences executive Mark Cherry as leader of the airplane maker's Phantom Works advanced technology unit.

Boeing has appointed former Aurora Flight Sciences executive Mark Cherry as vice president of the aerospace giant’s Phantom Works advanced technology organization.

Cherry takes on the new role almost two weeks after Boeing announced its acquisition of Manassas, Va.-based unmanned and electric-powered aircraft maker Aurora. Current Phantom Works leader Darryl Davis will move into a company-wide program management role, Boeing said Tuesday.

Phantom Works is the Boeing defense segment’s advanced prototyping unit that focuses on highly-classified military products and technologies. It is similar to Lockheed Martin’s famed Skunk Works unit.

Davis will report to Boeing Chief Financial Officer Greg Smith, who added an additional role as executive vice president of enterprise performance and strategy over the summer in conjunction with Boeing’s launch of its new global services unit.

That business was formed from the customer services groups across Boeing’s commercial and defense segments.