Thursday, April 18, 2024
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Boeing plans to deliver its final F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to the Navy late in 2025 and conclude production of the legacy fighter line, according to a Thursday company announcement.
Boeing will continue supporting modernization of the Navy’s existing F/A-18 and EA-18G Growler fleet into the mid-2030s and could extend Super Hornet production to 2027 if the aircraft is selected by an “international customer.”
Service life modification efforts for Block II Super Hornets will stretch through the next decade as Boeing upgrades the fighters with Block III capabilities. The company will continue hiring at its St. Louis site over the next five years to support this operation.
After the last Super Hornet is delivered, Boeing will turn its attention to developing future manned and unmanned military aircraft and ramping up production of systems including the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned refueling aircraft, T-7A Red Hawk digital training system and the Air Force’s F-15EX Eagle II fighters.
The company will upgrade its infrastructure to support these new focus areas, with plans to build three new facilities in St. Louis, the announcement states.
“We are planning for our future, and building fighter aircraft is in our DNA,” said Boeing Air Dominance vice president and St. Louis site leader Steve Nordlund in a statement included in the release. “As we invest in and develop the next era of capability, we are applying the same innovation and expertise that made the F/A-18 a workhorse for the U.S. Navy and air forces around the world for nearly 40 years.”