Air Force, Boeing give A-10 new wings

The first U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II re-winged by Boeing and Korean Aerospace Industries has been rolled out at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. A total of 233 wing sets for A-10 close-support aircraft are being delivered to the service's Ogden Air Logistics Center over the next six years as part of a wing replacement program. "This enhanced wing assembly will give the A-10 new strength and a new foundation for its continued service into 2040," said Mark Bass, Maintenance, Modifications and Upgrades vice president and general manager for Boeing Defense, Space and Security. "Boeing remains a committed partner in ensuring the A-10 continues to be a ready, reliable and viable weapon system for the U.S. Air Force." The A-10, which first went into service in the 1970s, was built by Fairchild Republic, and Boeing said its work on the wing replacement program highlights the company's expansion of work on platforms not its own. Boeing partner Korean Aerospace Industries manufactures the replacement wings.