Boeing Receives $22M B-52 Engineering Sustainment Option From US Air Force

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WICHITA, Kan., Jan. 13, 2010 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that it has received a $22 million option to continue supporting the B-52 bomber under the Engineering Sustainment Program (ESP) contract the company received from the U.S. Air Force in June 2009. Under the $750 million, 10-year ESP contract, Boeing will continue to perform engineering assignments that maintain the B-52 as a ready, reliable and viable asset to the Air Force.

"This is the first option of the ESP contract, which includes a total of 9 annual options," said Mike Houk, B-52 Fleet Support program manager for Boeing. "Receiving the option this month allows Boeing to continue supporting our customer by sustaining, modernizing and upgrading the B-52 to meet the warfighter's needs, both today and in the future."

The contract supports approximately 150 jobs at Boeing facilities in Wichita; Oklahoma City; Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, La.; and Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Boeing engineers will support software, communications, avionics and electrical upgrades; provide structural analysis and rewiring; and perform other tasks as directed by the Air Force.

All B-52s in the U.S. inventory were built at and delivered from the Boeing facility in Wichita.

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.