Boeing [BA] won a $427 million Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) contract for consumable material for F/A-18 A-4 Hornet depot maintenance, the company said last Thursday.

The sole source award lasts for five years with an option for five more years. The contract itself is the first depot contract within the DLA/Boeing Captain of Industry program. This raises the total value of thet program to $3.2 billion.

Orbital ATK AARGM (AGM-88E)lLaunched from U.S. Navy F/A-18D Hornet. Photo: Orbital ATK.
Orbital ATK AARGM (AGM-88E)lLaunched from U.S. Navy F/A-18D Hornet. Photo: Orbital ATK.

Boeing said its Captains of Industry program uses the company’s supplier relationships and capabilities to improve material availability and provide onsite technical support to reduce maintenance cycle times.

Boeing will specifically provide consumable materials for the structural repair and modification of the legacy Hornets at five Navy and Marine Corps depots as well as Boeing’s Cecil Field Site in Jacksonville, Fla. Company represrntatives will be co-located at the sites for technical expertise and support.

“Through this contract we will improve material availability and resolve technical issues quickly to alleviate long lead times on parts, helping our customers to reduce cycle times on aircraft maintenance. We are proud to work with the DLA, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps to keep legacy Hornets ready for critical missions,” Rick Robinson, Boeing’s director of Global Supply Chain services, said in a statement.

There are two current programs to repair old Hornets: Planned Maintenance Interval-1 with a comprehensive inspection, repair, and rework of the aircraft for specific targets and zonal inspections of critical area; and High Flight Hour as a series of inspections and modifications meant to extend the aircraft’s service life from 6,000 to 10,000 hours.