5,000 Long Beach Workers Heave A Collective Sigh

Boeing Company officials recently announced the receipt of a nearly $3 billion contract from the US Air Force, awarded to build 15 more C-17 Globemaster IIIs.

The Long Beach, CA Press-Telegram said the $2.95 billion order was approved by Congress and President Bush in June. Eagerly anticipated by the community of Long Beach, the award is great news for more than 5,000 workers at Boeing's Long Beach Plant, the city's largest private employer.

A statement from Boeing said, "Fulfilling this critical airlift need for the Air Force will keep C-17s moving down our production line until at least August 2010, even as we complete existing orders from the Air Force and our international customers. We will continue to work with Congress and the US Air Force to provide an affordable option for meeting current and future airlift needs."

The Long Beach Plant has faced an uncertain fate, at one point expecting to see the last C-17 come down the assembly line sometime this summer. But the new contract breathes life into the production line, and extends worker's hopes that Boeing will win more contracts before production winds down again.

Boeing has aggressively sought foreign C-17 contracts, successfully with Canada, Great Britain, and Australia. The nation of Qatar recently signed a purchase agreement for two C-17s, and NATO has ordered three Globemaster III jets with the cost to be shared between 10 NATO countries plus Sweden and Finland.

FMI: www.boeing.com, www.af.mil