A-10 Thunderbolt II Wing Replacement

The A-10 Thunderbolt II, also known as the Warthog, is a twin-engine aircraft that provides close-air support of ground forces and employs a wide variety of conventional munitions including general purpose bombs. The simple, effective and survivable single-seat aircraft can be used against all ground targets, including tanks and other armored vehicles. Boeing is under contract with the Air Force to deliver 173 wing sets through 2017.

More than 350 A-10 aircraft are in service with the U.S. Air Force, Air Combat Command, the U.S. Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard. In December 2007, the U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing a contract for Systems Engineering and Computer Aided Design in support of the A-10 Wing Replacement program.Boeing’s contract win was based upon its expertise with Fighter / Attack aircraft, engineering skills to interpret and de-conflict legacy designs, proven processes / procedures, having a mature supply base, and integration of lean manufacturing concepts into an off-Boeing platform.

Using 3-D modeling provided the baseline engineering foundation for the A-10 Wing Replacement program. The majority of the work was done in St. Louis; other pieces of the modeling conversion were completed in Salt Lake City. The contract runs through FY2016. Boeing produces the wing sets in Macon, Ga., along with partner Korean Aerospace Industries in South Korea, Kaman Aerospace in Jacksonville, Fla., and CPI Aerospace in Long Island, N.Y. The U.S. Air Force customer installs the wing sets at the Ogden Air Logistics Center in Utah.