OREANDA-NEWS. Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced today the appointment of Greg Hyslop as vice president and general manager, Boeing Research & Technology. He succeeds Matt Ganz, who was recently named president, Boeing Germany and Northern Europe, and vice president, European Technology Strategy.

As the head of the central advanced research and development unit of The Boeing Company, Hyslop will lead a team of nearly 4,000 employees that provide innovative system solutions and technologies in support of Boeing's existing programs and products, as well as breakthrough technologies that enable new products and business opportunities. Hyslop will report to John Tracy, Boeing chief technology officer and senior vice president, Engineering, Operations & Technology; he will continue to be based in Boeing offices in Huntsville, Ala. Hyslop and Ganz will immediately begin the leadership transition.

Hyslop, a 31-year Boeing veteran, had been vice president and general manager of Boeing Strategic Missile & Defense Systems (SM&DS) since March 2009. In this role Hyslop led Boeing missile defense, strategic missile and directed energy programs, including the Ground-based Missile Defense (GMD) program, Arrow 3, the Minuteman III program and a number of laser-based defense systems and technology concepts. Prior to leading the SM&DS organization, Hyslop was vice president and program director of the GMD program, and had also served as vice president and program manager of the Airborne Laser program.

"Greg Hyslop offers an outstanding combination of technology expertise and program management to our research and technology team," Tracy said. "He brings leadership experience from some of the most complex systems in aerospace, and he also knows what it takes to compete and win in a tough, competitive environment. He will bring that focus on competitiveness in continuing the outstanding work that the team has accomplished under Matt Ganz's technology leadership."

Replacing Hyslop at SM&DS is Jim Chilton, formerly vice president and program manager for Exploration Launch Systems. Chilton's replacement at Exploration Launch Systems will be named at a later date.

"We're pleased to have an outstanding executive like Jim Chilton step into the leadership role at SM&DS. Jim has the breadth and depth of management and customer experience, combined with technology expertise, that speaks well of our ability to develop technically astute, customer-oriented leaders within Boeing," said Roger Krone, president of Boeing Network & Space Systems. "He is a seasoned technology leader who will continue the focus on our customers, our program execution and technical leadership."

In his role at Space Exploration, Chilton oversaw the Boeing heavy lift launch vehicle program, Space Launch System. Boeing is working to design and develop the core stages of the heavy lift launch vehicle to explore beyond Earth orbit. The vehicle is scheduled for first flight in 2017. Previously, Chilton served as program manager for the Checkout, Assembly and Processing Services contract at Boeing Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where his team was responsible for final assembly and testing of space shuttle and expendable launch vehicle payloads, including hardware destined for the International Space Station.

Hyslop received his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and a master's degree in mathematics from the University of Nebraska, and a doctorate in systems science and mathematics from Washington University in St. Louis. While at Washington University, he served as an adjunct professor of systems science and mathematics. He has published and presented numerous technical papers on advanced guidance, control and navigation systems and technologies.

Chilton holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Washington State University and a master's degree from the Florida Institute of Technology, in addition to completing the systems acquisition course for general and flag officers at Defense Acquisition University. He is also a recent graduate of Harvard Business School's advanced management program.