Boeing receives $217 million for F/A-18 spare parts

Aug. 20 (UPI) -- The Boeing plant in St. Louis, Mo., has received a $217 million order against a five-year base contract for F/A-18 aircraft spare parts for the U.S. Navy.

The order includes a five-year option. The work has an expected completion date of December 2022. Fiscal 2018 through fiscal 2023 Navy working capital funds will be appropriated for the order.

The F/A-18 series of multirole fighters is capable of operating from airfields and aircraft carriers. It is designed for both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, and can carry a variety of weapons, ranging from air-to-air missiles to precision-guided bombs and long-range standoff munitions.

The platform has been produced in several versions, including the upgraded Super Hornet. Also in service is the EA-18G, an electronic warfare platform capable of jamming enemy radars, communications and missiles

The F/A-18 series is in use by allied nations across the world and is the primary fighter for both the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. It will stay in service for decades to come while being gradually replaced by the F-35 Lightning II in the United States and other countries.