Boeing has awarded a contract to L-3 MAS to provide component repair and overhaul (R&O) services in support of the US Navy’s F/A-18 outer wing panels (OWP) programme.
Under the contract, Boeing will provide depot-level R&O services that include inspection, corrosion control, major component repair and/or replacement and modification of the F/A-18 OWPs.
L-3 MAS vice president and general manager Jacques Comtois said: "Our re-selection to support this vital platform is a testament to our past performance and our ongoing commitment to flawless execution, continuous improvement and long-term partnerships."
The McDonnell Douglas-built F/A-18 is a multirole fighter aircraft and has been designed to support both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions for the US Navy.
Capable of conducting photoreconnaissance and electronic countermeasure missions, the attack aircraft features bombs, rockets, missiles and drop tanks on nine external points.
The advanced version of F/A-18 Hornet is the Super Hornet, which is produced in the single-seat E model and the two-seat F model.
The Boeing-built Super Hornet fighter features GPS/inertial-guided joint direct attack munition (JDAM), joint stand-off weapon and joint air-to-surface stand-off missile, including 11 weapon stations.
It is also equipped with two additional wing store stations to support a full range of armaments, including AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, and guided air-to-ground weapons.
The recent contract has a one-year period of performance and comes with four option years.
More than 80 F/A-18 OWP have been delivered by L-3 MAS for the US Navy under a previous contract with Boeing.
Image: A US Navy’s F/A-18E aircraft landing on an aircraft carrier. Photo: file image.
