Boeing Awarded $104M Navy Contract for F/A-18 Cockpit Repairs

This article summarizes reporting by Investing.com.

Boeing Secures $104.4 Million Navy Contract for F/A-18 Cockpit Display Repairs

The Boeing Company has been awarded a $104.4 million contract by the U.S. Navy to provide critical repairs for cockpit display systems used in the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler fleets. According to reporting by Investing.com and confirmed by Department of Defense contract announcements, the deal focuses on sustaining the advanced avionics that serve as the primary interface for naval aviators.

The agreement, issued by the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Weapon Systems Support in Philadelphia, is a ceiling-priced delivery order under a previously established basic ordering agreement. The work is scheduled to continue through April 2028, ensuring the operational readiness of the Navy’s frontline tactical aircraft.

Scope of Work: Advanced Cockpit Systems

The contract specifically targets the repair of “Advanced Cockpit System” components, which are central to the Block III Super Hornet upgrades. Based on the technical specifications outlined in the award, the repairs cover two primary pieces of hardware:

• Large Area Displays (LAD): These 10×19-inch touchscreen high-definition screens replace traditional gauges and smaller multifunction displays, allowing pilots to manage data similarly to a tablet interface.
• Low Profile Head-Up Displays (LPHUD): These compact units project critical flight data into the pilot’s line of sight while physically accommodating the larger LAD screen in the instrument panel.

As noted in the Department of Defense announcement, the contract was awarded on a sole-source basis. The government cited 10 U.S. Code 3204(a)(1), a regulation used when services are available from only one responsible source. In this case, the proprietary nature of the display technology meant that only Boeing and its specific supply chain partners could fulfill the requirement.

Supply Chain and Location Breakdown

While Boeing is the prime contractor, the distribution of labor reveals that the bulk of the technical repair work will be performed by specialized subcontractors. According to the contract details, the work will be split across three primary locations:

• Fort Worth, Texas (70%): The majority of the work will occur here, which is the home of Elbit Systems of America. Elbit is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the Large Area Display, indicating that the actual component repairs are being handled by the technology’s creator.
• Talladega, Alabama (20%): This portion will be handled by International Enterprises Industries (IEI), a subsidiary of Elbit Systems known for avionics repair and legacy electronics sustainment.
• St. Louis, Missouri (10%): Boeing’s own defense facilities will handle the remaining share, likely focusing on program management, final integration, and quality assurance rather than component-level repair.

Funding and Fiscal Context

The Navy has obligated $53.2 million immediately at the time of the award. The funding structure utilizes a mix of sources, highlighting the sustainment nature of the deal:

• Fiscal 2026 Navy Working Capital Funds: The primary source of funding, used for routine maintenance and parts availability.
• Fiscal 2025 Navy Aircraft Procurement Funds
• Fiscal 2024 Air Force Procurement Funds

AirPro News Analysis

This contract underscores a critical reality in modern military aviation: the “vendor lock-in” inherent in proprietary high-tech systems. The sole-source justification confirms that once the Navy integrated the Advanced Cockpit System, a key selling point of the Block III Super Hornet, it became dependent on the original manufacturer for long-term sustainment. There is no competitive market for repairing these specific proprietary displays.

Furthermore, the use of Fiscal 2026 Working Capital Funds signals that the Navy is treating this as a standard “business” transaction to keep parts on the shelf. With delays impacting next-generation programs like the F/A-XX, keeping the existing fleet of Super Hornets fully mission-capable through 2028 and beyond is not just an option, but a strategic necessity.

Sources

• Investing.com
• U.S. Department of Defense