His appointment follows the departure of Ted Colbert as chief executive of Boeing's (NYSE: BA) defense business unit.

"I want to thank Ted for his 15 years of service at The Boeing Company, supporting our customers, our people and our communities," Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said in a memo to employees.

Colbert took the helm of BDS in 2022 after serving as president and CEO of Boeing's global services business. He joined the company in 2009 and held senior leadership roles, including chief information officer and head of the company's information technology infrastructure organization.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Parker has been senior vice president and COO of BDS since 2022.

He brings to the role over 35 years of aerospace industry experience and expertise in program management, manufacturing, quality and technical leadership.

Parker has been with Boeing for over three decades and has held several leadership positions, including VP and general manager of the bombers and fighters division, VP and GM of the vertical lift division and program manager of T-7A and F-15.