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St. Louis Public Radio News
St. Louis Public Radio News
Navy commits to buying more F/A-18 fighter jets
Bill Raack, St. Louis Public Radio (2010-05-14)
ST. LOUIS, MO (St. Louis Public Radio) - The Navy has agreed to a multi-year purchase of more than 100 F/A-18 Super Hornets, which are built by Boeing in St. Louis

Boeing and members of Missouri's congressional delegation have been asking the Pentagon for years to commit to a long-term order like this. Republican U.S. Representative Todd Akin of St. Louis says the 124-plane purchase will keep the assembly line going for four more years.

"That's good news for Boeing because it nails down all of those jobs and building all of those aircraft. It's good news for the Navy because they're getting them at a discount price. So it was kind of a win-win situation," Akin said.

Akin had offered an amendment giving the Pentagon the ability to negotiate a bulk plane purchase at a reduced price. About 5,000 Boeing employees work on the F/A-18 line in St. Louis. © Copyright 2012, St. Louis Public Radio