Boeing nets $51.5M for engineering support on Navy's C-40As

May 28 (UPI) -- Boeing was awarded a $51.5 million contract for engineering services to support up to 17 C-40A Clipper aircraft for the U.S. Navy.

The contract includes sustaining engineering, engineering data, technical publications, access to and distribution of technical data and publications, and other technical support services, the Department of Defense said Friday.

The C-40A is a reconfigured 737-700 optimized to transport passengers, cargo or both in "fleet logistics support" for the U.S. Naval Reserve. The aircraft can carry carry 121 passengers, 36,000 pounds of main deck cargo, or a combination of 70 passengers and 15,000 pounds of cargo, according to Boeing.

Work on the new contract will be performed at Boeing's plant in Renton, Wash., and is expected to be completed by May 2024. No funds were obligated at time of award, and will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued.

The C-40A was delivered to the Navy in 2001 as a replacement for the C-9B Skytrain aircraft.

The U.S. Naval Reserve operates and maintains about a dozen C-40A at air bases in Oceana, Va.; North Island, Calif.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Ft. Worth, Texas; and Whidbey Island, Wash.

The Air Force also uses C-40B/C variants, which are officially unnamed. The branch describes the aircraft as an "office in the sky" for senior military and government leaders.