ST. LOUIS, March 25, 2009 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today recognized a milestone for its KC-10 Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) program: The program has provided aircraft maintenance more than 750 times for the current fleet of 59 aerial-refueling tanker aircraft. The March 20 return of a KC-10 Extender to the 60th Air Mobility Wing at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., marked the 750th time Boeing Global Services & Support employees in San Antonio have completed KC-10 maintenance since the U.S. Air Force awarded the contract in 1998.

“This milestone is important not only because the aircraft was the 750th returned to the Air Force following scheduled maintenance, but also because it’s the 750th time we’ve returned an aircraft to the Air Force on time,” said Mike Wright, Boeing KC-10 program director. “To be able to get the aircraft back to the warfighter on time, all the time, is important to all of us.”

The aircraft received depot-level maintenance and was also the second in the fleet to undergo refurbishment.

“The refurbishment work is a lot like restoring a vintage car,” Wright said. “We replace panels, decals, lighting fixtures and heavily used aircraft equipment. We also paint the interior of the aircraft and generally give it a good restoration throughout.” Boeing is working with the Air Force to refurbish the remaining 57 KC-10s in the fleet.

The work is necessary, according to the Air Force, as the KC-10 Extender continues to play an integral role in the ongoing global war on terrorism.

The Boeing KC-10 CLS program currently provides depot-level maintenance and modifications, supply-chain management and other critical support tasks to the KC-10 fleet. Boeing also provides around-the-world support for the aircraft with a network of Field Service Representatives and other support personnel.

Source: Boeing