Second B-1 Contract Means More Work for Tinker Air Force Base

• Joe Wertz
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  Joe Wertz was a reporter and managing editor for StateImpact Oklahoma from 2011-2019. He reported on energy and environment issues for national NPR audiences and other national outlets. He previously worked as a managing editor, assistant editor and staff reporter at several major Oklahoma newspapers and studied journalism at the University of Central Oklahoma.

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Spectators check out a B-1 Bomber on the runway during an air show.

Some good news for Oklahoma’s aerospace industry: Boeing is getting a second Department of Defense contract for B-1 bomber upgrades, and workers at Tinker Air Force Base will perform the installations.

The Journal Record‘s Sarah Terry-Cobo on the $65.8 million deal:

The initial installation is scheduled to begin at Tinker in November. The equipment for the nine bombers will be delivered to the base in December 2013.

In 2010, Boeing announced plans to move its B-1 bomber program and more than 500 jobs to Oklahoma City from Long Beach, Calif.

While some engineers have been in the metro area for a while, the remaining employees will complete relocation by the end of the year, Boeing spokeswoman Jennifer Hogan tells the Journal.