Boeing Co. said Wednesday its second-quarter earnings climbed 17 percent from a year earlier, when a charge weighed down results, as higher defense sales bolstered the airplane maker's profit. The earnings beat Wall Street expectations.

The Chicago-based company also said Wednesday it would announce a revised schedule for its long-delayed 787 jetliner in the third quarter. Boeing's credibility suffered a serious blow last month when it announced the latest of several costly delays of the plane's inaugural test flight and delivery schedule. It said parts of the plane needed to be reinforced.

Boeing, the world's second-largest commercial plane maker after France-based Airbus, earned $998 million, or $1.41 per share, for the three months ended June 30. That compares with $852 million, or $1.16 per share, during the same period last year, which included a charge of 22 cents per share for late delivery of military aircraft.

Revenue edged up 1 percent to $17.15 billion from $16.96 billion in the year-earlier period. Sales for its defense unit, which accounts for roughly half Boeing's overall revenue, rose 9 percent to $8.7 billion. Commercial plane revenue slid 2 percent, to $8.4 billion.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters, on average, had expected a profit of $1.21 per share on revenue of $17.15 billion. Analyst estimates typically exclude one-time items.

The company reiterated its 2009 profit forecast of $4.70 to $5 per share. Boeing reduced its forecast in April, citing lower expected profit at its commercial aircraft division. Analysts expect profit of $4.52 per share.

But Peter Arment, an analyst at Broadpoint AmTech, said Boeing's guidance was unreliable because it doesn't reflect the revised 787 schedule. "So I think the air of uncertainty will remain regarding Boeing," he said.

Production of the highly anticipated 787, designed for fuel efficiency with carbon composite parts, has been fraught with problems that have forced the company to delay the plane's delivery schedule five times. Boeing has followed a new strategy with the 787 by outsourcing work to contractors around the globe before assembling large sections of the aircraft at its facilities in Everett, Wash.

News of the latest delay came on June 23, when Boeing said it needed to reinforce part of the plane near the area where the wings meet the fuselage. On Wednesday, the company said it had identified a technical solution to the problem and was evaluating ways to implement it. Boeing expects to issue a new schedule and reevaluate earnings guidance this quarter.

Boeing and archrival Airbus have been grappling with weaker orders for new planes as the global recession undercuts demand for air travel and cargo services. Some airlines have been forced to cancel or delay plans to buy new planes.

To cope, Boeing has unveiled cost-cutting measures in recent months, including plans to slash 10,000 jobs and scale back production of some planes.

Boeing CEO Jim McNerney said in a statement the company was "doing what's necessary to emerge from the current economic environment as a stronger company that's better positioned to grow and improve its financial performance over time."

During the second quarter, Boeing's commercial plane deliveries slipped by just one plane, to 125, compared with the same period a year earlier. Boeing receives payment for planes when they are delivered.

The company said it booked 57 new orders during the quarter, down from 187 orders a year earlier. It said 52 other orders were canceled. Boeing built up a hefty backlog during three years of booming demand that ended last year, when orders plunged. It said Wednesday the backlog was valued at $328 billion. That's down from $339 billion at the end of March.

So far, Boeing has booked some 850 orders for the 787 - its best-selling new aircraft to date. But that includes some 73 orders that were canceled this year through July 14.