Boeing Defense, Space, & Security, St. Louis, Mo., has received a follow-on order for 56 replacement wings for U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. The company is on contract to build up to 242 wings, including these, at its plant in Macon, Ga. This latest order is valued at $212 million. Including this agreement, the Air Force thus far has ordered 173 wings.
The efforts of Boeing, its suppliers, and the Air Force will allow the A-10 fleet to operate into 2035, according to the contract announcement.
Refitting the fleet with new wings will improve the mission availability of A-10s by an estimated 4% and will help save the Air Force an estimated $1.3 billion in maintenance costs during the next 30 years.
The combat-proven A-10 twin-engine jet is designed for close air support of ground forces. It can be used against all ground targets, including tanks and other armored vehicles.
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