Jan 23 (Reuters) - Boeing ( BA ) said on Thursday it

expects to report a larger-than-expected loss when it unveils

fourth-quarter results next week as the financially-strapped

U.S. planemaker took charges at its defense unit and suffered

losses from a crippling strike.

The company forecast a quarterly loss per share of $5.46,

compared with analysts' average expectation of a loss per share

of $1.84.

(Reporting by Abhijith Ganapavaram in Bengaluru; Editing by

Sriraj Kalluvila)