The Boeing Company ( , ) is a major aerospace and defense corporation, originally founded by William E. Boeing. Its international headquarters is in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Boeing is the largest global aircraft manufacturer by revenue, the largest by orders and deliveries, and the second-largest aerospace and defense contractor in the world. 2007.php?c=FEA&s=T1C" target="_blank">"Defense News Top 100" (2007 data). Defense News. Boeing is the largest exporter in the United States. Its stock is a component of the _Dow Jones Industrial Average.