Manufacturer catalog
Rockwell International was a U.S. aerospace, defense, electronics, and industrial conglomerate whose defense work included the B-1 Lancer bomber, OV-10 Bronco lineage, tactical missiles, sensors, space systems, and major NASA programs. The name belongs to a defunct corporate structure: Boeing acquired most of Rockwell's aerospace and defense business in 1996, while remaining automation and avionics lines later separated into Rockwell Automation and Rockwell Collins.
1 weaponsRockwell International became the successor label for North American Rockwell in 1973, the same period in which Collins Radio was folded into the wider company. Its aerospace side combined aircraft, missile, electronics, propulsion, and spacecraft businesses inherited from North American Aviation, Autonetics, Rocketdyne, Collins, and related Rockwell divisions.
For this catalog, Rockwell International is most directly tied to the B-1B Lancer, the production U.S. Air Force bomber that followed the earlier B-1A test program. Boeing history material also connects Rockwell and its North American predecessor to the OV-10 Bronco and Space Shuttle Orbiter, showing how the company spanned tactical aircraft, strategic bombers, and space hardware before the 1996 Boeing acquisition.
Rockwell International produced the B-1B Lancer after the Reagan administration restarted the bomber program; U.S. Air Force and Boeing history sources document the 100-aircraft B-1B production run and 1980s deliveries.
Sources: Boeing Select Products in Boeing History, Air Force B-1B Lancer Fact Sheet
The OV-10 was designed and built by North American Aviation before the Rockwell International name replaced North American Rockwell; Boeing history keeps the Bronco in the same Rockwell/North American product lineage.
Sources: Boeing Select Products in Boeing History, Navy OV-10 Bronco Photo ArchiveBoeing's chronology records North American Rockwell becoming Rockwell International in February 1973, with Collins Radio merging into the company at the same time.
Sources: Boeing History Chronology
The Rockwell B-1 Lancer made its first flight as a swing-wing bomber intended for high-speed, low-altitude penetration missions.
Sources: Boeing History Chronology, Boeing Select Products in Boeing History
The U.S. Air Force directed Rockwell International to begin production of 100 B-1B Lancer bombers after the program's restart.
Sources: Boeing History Chronology, Boeing Select Products in Boeing History
The Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber first flew on October 18, 1984, beginning the production variant's flight-test path toward operational service.
Sources: Boeing History Chronology, Air Force B-1B Lancer Fact Sheet
Boeing reported that it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire most of Rockwell International's aerospace and defense business, including space systems, ICBM systems, tactical missiles, sensors, B-1B bomber work, and advanced programs.
Sources: Boeing 1996 Form 10-Q
Rockwell Automation's annual report describes the post-1996 company history and the later spin-off of Rockwell Collins' avionics and communications business.
Sources: Rockwell Automation 2008 Annual Report
Rockwell International no longer exists as an operating defense manufacturer. Public sourcing is therefore split across Boeing heritage material, U.S. government records, SEC filings, and successor-company annual reports.
Category
Crewed aircraft, drones, and loitering munitions.
