ST. LOUIS, March 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE:
BA) has completed delivery of the U.S. Navy's first aircraft
acquired through the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G Multi-Year Procurement
(MYP) III contract, ahead of schedule.
Aircraft G-57, an EA-18G Growler, was the first of 148
F/A-18E/Fs and EA-18Gs that the Navy will purchase through the
contract. The aircraft was delivered to the Navy on Jan. 26 and arrived at its home base at Naval Air
Station Whidbey Island on Jan.
30.
On Sept. 28, 2010, the Navy
awarded Boeing the MYP III contract for delivery of 66 F/A-18E/Fs
and 58 EA-18Gs, to be purchased through 2013. The Navy has
since expanded the contract with the addition of 24 F/A-18E/Fs. The
Navy has the option to procure up to 194 F/A-18E/Fs and EA-18Gs
under the MYP III contract terms.
"This program continues to successfully draw on efficiencies
from across Boeing to reduce cost, while increasing capability for
the men and women who serve this nation around the globe," said
Mike Gibbons, Boeing F/A-18 and
EA-18 Programs vice president. "Today's new Super Hornets provide
unequaled air dominance and precision strike capability for the
U.S. Navy carrier fleet. At the same time, the EA-18G continues to
expand its dominance as the world's premier airborne electronic
attack aircraft, as demonstrated by its recent successes supporting
operations in Libya. The Super
Hornet and Growler give the U.S. Navy a significant capability for
a broad spectrum of anti-access, area-denial missions."
Boeing delivered 210 Super Hornets to the Navy during MYP I,
which spanned fiscal years 2000 through 2004. The company then
received a second multi-year contract that included 213 F/A-18E/F
and EA-18G aircraft, and spanned fiscal years 2005 through 2009.
Through fiscal year 2009, 44 more aircraft were added to MYP II,
including 24 F/A-18Fs acquired by the Royal Australian Air Force
under a Foreign Military Sales agreement with the U.S. Navy.
Procuring aircraft through the first two multi-year contracts
generated $1.7 billion in savings for
the Navy. The MYP III contract is projected to generate more than
$605 million in savings, for total
savings of more than $2.3 billion
across the three F/A-18E/F and EA-18G contracts.
The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a low observable, multirole
aircraft that performs virtually every mission in the tactical
spectrum, including air superiority, day/night strike with
precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support,
suppression of enemy air defenses, maritime strike, reconnaissance,
forward air control and tanker missions. Boeing has delivered more
than 480 F/A-18E/Fs to the U.S. Navy. The F/A-18E/F has
logged more than 166,000 combat flight hours supporting operations
in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Boeing EA-18G Growler is the only air combat platform that
delivers full-spectrum airborne electronic attack capability along
with the targeting and self-defense capabilities derived from the
F/A-18E/F Block II Super Hornet. A derivative of the two-seat
F/A-18F Block II, the EA-18G's highly flexible design enables
warfighters to operate either from the deck of an aircraft carrier
or from land-based airfields. The EA-18G was a critical platform
employed during NATO operations in Libya in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn in
2011. The EA-18G logged more than 7,000 combat flight hours
supporting operations in Libya.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space &
Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security
businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven
customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile
manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space &
Security is a $32 billion business
with 62,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter:
@BoeingDefense.
Contact:
Philip Carder
F/A-18 & EA-18 Programs
Office: +1 314-234-6516
Mobile: +1 314-541-5458
philip.b.carder@boeing.com
SOURCE Boeing Defense, Space & Security