US Department of Defence announced on December 20 that Boeing was awarded two contracts worth over $2.1 billion to upgrade the F-18 Hornet and EA-18G combat aircraft. US media claimed that the effort aimed to compensate for the inadequate performance and high costs of the Lockheed F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
Boeing is awarded a $2,020,956,832 contract. The contract provides system upgrades for the F/A-18 and EA-18G Growler aircraft, including Foreign Military Sales (FMS) variants, and will provide for deliverables and services based on systems configuration set requirements consisting of all software and hardware required to implement new capabilities on the aircraft for the Navy and FMS customers.Work is expected to be completed in December 2027.Boeing is also awarded a $117,572,634 modification to a previously awarded contract. This modification exercises inspections, modifications and repairs on the F/A-18 E/F and EA-18G.Previously USA had stated that F/A-18 and EA-18G Growler aircraft maintenance cost less than F-35.
