Boeing to ramp up lobbying, ads for
F/A-18 Super Hornets
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[April 03, 2015]
By Andrea Shalal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Boeing Co on
Thursday said it will ramp up lobbying efforts to extend production of
its F/A-18 fighter jets beyond the end of 2017 after the U.S. Navy asked
Congress to fund 12 airplanes not included in the 2016 budget proposal.
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Dan Gillian, who runs the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G electronic attack
jet programs for Boeing, told Reuters the company had decided to
continue working closely with the Navy to convince U.S. lawmakers.
The company also plans to launch a print advertising campaign in
mid-April to support the effort, according to a source familiar with
the matter.
Last month, Gillian told Reuters he was optimistic that Boeing could
cobble together enough U.S. and foreign orders to extend production
at its St. Louis plant beyond 2017, but conceded the budget
environment was difficult.
He said Boeing would make an "unemotional," business-based decision
by midyear, even before Congress finalizes the fiscal 2016 budget,
about whether to self-fund purchases of titanium and other supplies
that must be ordered long before production begins, or whether to
start shutting down the plant.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Apr/03/images/ads/current/best_friends_sda_010515.png) The Navy included $1.15 billion for a dozen Super Hornets on its
list of "unfunded priorities" sent to Congress this week, which
would extend production at the plant for about six months. The
company has said it must build at least two jets a month to keep
prices economical.
"Aircraft in this year’s appropriations bill would be a step toward
ensuring options for the Navy as well as the joint force as they
continue to evaluate their strike fighter and airborne electronic
attack needs,” Gillian said.
It remained unclear whether Congress will fund any additional Boeing
jets given competing demands for resources and continued uncertainty
about whether congressional budget caps will remain in effect in
fiscal 2016.
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Boeing is also awaiting decisions by Denmark and Kuwait later this
year about possible additional orders that could further stretch
production.
Douglas Silliman, the U.S. ambassador to Kuwait, last week told
Reuters it was unclear when Kuwait would make a decision on a
possible F/A-18 order, and noted that the country had other urgent
funding priorities.
Northrop Grumman Corp is a key supplier to Boeing on the F/A-18 and
EA-18G jets, which are expected to remain in service through 2040,
flying together with the new F-35 fighter jets built by Lockheed
Martin Corp.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by David Gregorio)
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