Boeing , which acquired McDonnell Douglas and its advanced research, development, and prototyping division in 1997, now has hired a competing military aviation firm executive and test pilot leader to lead Phantom Works in Colin Miller. Additionally, what used to be several divisions of Phantom Works will now be one combined division.

(Reuters) - Boeing said on Thursday it hired former Northrop Grumman executive Colin Miller to head its Phantom Works research arm within the company's defense business unit. Miller's hiring as general manager of Phantom Works at Boeing Defense, Space and Security (BDS) had been in the works before the arrival of new Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg.

Boeing has poached an executive from defense rival Northrop Grumman to run its Phantom Works division, which oversees research efforts for its Pentagon business and is involved in bidding for U.S. government projects.