Boeing begins A-10 Thunderbolt II wing assembly for U.S. Air Force

The following related online news were compiled today by Joachim Jacob

In a news release Boeing stated:

Boeing Begins A-10 Thunderbolt Wing Assembly for US Air Force

MACON, Ga., Jan. 18, 2010 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced that it has begun assembling the first A-10 Thunderbolt replacement-wing set at its Macon facility. The U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing the contract, worth up to $2 billion, in June 2007 to provide as many as 242 A-10 replacement-wing sets through 2018.

"This is a phenomenal accomplishment for this Boeing Macon team and a real tribute to the partnership between Boeing and the Air Force to keep these vital aircraft flying in support of U.S. military men and women," said Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing Defense, Space & Security president and CEO. "We are honored to help extend the life of these storied planes as they serve our warfighters in their essential close-air support missions. This is also an important milestone in Boeing's drive to offer our customers maintenance and modification support on a wide range of aircraft, regardless of the plane's original manufacturer."

Boeing will deliver the replacement wing sets to Hill Air Force Base, Utah, in four parts: three wing sections and an installation kit. Air Force personnel will install the wings. Boeing is scheduled to deliver the first wing set in September and up to 50 wing sets a year at peak production.

The A-10 Thunderbolt, also known as the Warthog, is a twin-engine jet aircraft designed for close-air support of ground forces. More than 350 aircraft are currently in the U.S. fleet participating in both Iraq and Afghanistan operations.

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 70,000 employees worldwide.

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United Press International wrote:

Boeing begins wing replacements assembly

MACON, Ga., Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Boeing has started production operations for a U.S. Air Force program to extend the lifecycle of the A-10 Thunderbolt aircraft through wing replacements.

U.S. company Boeing was selected by the Air Force to manufacture more than 240 new wing sets for the aging fleet of A-10 Thunderbolts. Boeing announced its Macon, Ga., facility has officially starting assembling the replacement wing sets.

Officials say the completed wing replacement sets will be shipped to Hill Air Force Base in Utah for installation on the A-10s by Air Force personnel. The program is expected to last through 2018.

"This is a phenomenal accomplishment for this Boeing Macon team and a real tribute to the partnership between Boeing and the Air Force to keep these vital aircraft flying in support of U.S. military men and women," Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing Defense, Space and Security president and chief executive officer, said in a statement.

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13WMAZ reported:

Macon Boeing Plant Awarded $2B Contract

By Jake Wade and Vanessa Ruffes
January 19,2010

Dozens of jobs are coming to south Bibb County.

The Boeing Company announced that its plant off Avondale Mill Road will start building replacement wings for the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft today.

The Air Force gave Boeing the $2 billion contract that lasts through 2018.

It will create 75 new jobs at the Macon plant, although they've already filled about 30 of those.

The company says it expects to fill the rest quickly.

Workers on the A-10 project say the start of the assembly line will bring changes to their jobs.

Boeing worker Hope Sirman said, "I've never really felt unsecure in my job, but this is definitely a new avenue for Boeing, so a lot of, ... a lot of new technology."

The company says the contract was first awarded in June 2007.

Congressman Jim Marshall says not only will the contract set Boeing up with an in-demand aircraft, he says it's also a chance to prove the quality of Central Georgia's aerospace industry.

"Throughout this area," Marshall says, "aerospace workers are superior to aerospace workers elsewhere in the country. We'll see more business over the years."

The program manager for the A-10's at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, Colonel Howard Davis says quality was the reason they selected Macon's Boeing plant.

"It's a fantastic opportunity for us in the Air Force to have the best capabilities from the industry by having Boeing build the center wing panel for us," says Davis.

Workers with the A-10 program will assemble replacement-wing sets for Hill Air Force Base in Utah. They will build the wings in 3 sections, and provided an installation kit, Air Force employees will install the new wings.

U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall and Bibb County Commissioner Sam Hart were among the local officials who joined Boeing Monday morning to announce the contract.

Marshall and Colonel Howard Davis cut the ribbon at the A-10 production line and installed the first bolts of Boeing's first A-10 wing.

The A-10, nicknamed the Warthog, provides air support for ground troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Associated video:



Associated pictures:



Congressman Jim Marshall and Colonel Howard Davis with Hill Air Force Base cut the ribbon at Boeing's A-10 wing assembly line.



The skeleton of Boeing's first A-10 replacement wing.



Motivation for the Boeing workers. Full inscription: HOME OF THE A-10 THUNDERBOLT II TEAM



The Boeing logo outside of the Macon plant.

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The Macon Telegraph wrote:

Macon Boeing facility starts its part of $2B project

Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010

By Amy Leigh Womack

The Boeing Co.'s Macon facility started producing replacement wing sets for the Air Force's A-10 Thunderbolt II on Monday in connection with a $2 billion contract.

The contract is scheduled to last through 2018, according to a Boeing news release.

Spokesman Forrest Gossett said no new jobs are associated with production of the replacement wing sets.

There are more than 350 A-10 Thunderbolts, also known as Warthogs, in the United States' fleet participating in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The twin-engine jet is designed for close air support of ground forces, according to the release.

Boeing will deliver the wing sets to Hill Air Force Base in Utah in four parts. Air Force personnel will use three wing sections built by Boeing and an installation kit to finish installing the wings, according to the release.

The company is scheduled to deliver the first wing set in September. At peak production, the Macon plant is expected to build 50 wing sets a year, according to Boeing.

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