Contact: Rob Ostrander 202.224.7627 Shana Stribling 202.224.0309
Monday, January 23, 2006

ST. LOUIS, MO – U.S. Senators Kit Bond and Jim Talent today joined hundreds of workers at Boeing to congratulate them on the recent sale of the St. Louis-built F-15 to Singapore.

“The St. Louis production work force is second to none,” said Senator Kit Bond of the Boeing workers who build the F-15. “Our warfighters face grave dangers and risks when confronting America’s enemies. It takes a committed work force capable of building advanced and technologically superior equipment and systems for our warfighters to prevail on the modern battlefield. Without you, we cannot win.”

"This is a major victory for Missouri and the workforce at Boeing," said U.S. Senator Jim Talent, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "Singapore's selection of the Boeing F-15 confirms once again that our workers build the best military aircraft in the world."

Singapore recently agreed to buy 12 Boeing aircraft, estimated at $1 billion. This sale ensures the F-15 line will be operational through 2010, protecting the 1800 jobs that depend on the plane. Also, the Singapore government may exercise the option to procure 8 additional aircraft. There is also possibility the Korean government might procure 40 aircraft.

Bond and Talent also stressed said this sale further cements the long standing and mutually beneficial relationship between the United States and Singapore.

Earlier this year Bond and Talent helped secure $65 million for F-15 procurement in the fiscal year 2006 Defense Appropriations bill. These funds supplemented the $110 million Bond secured in last year’s defense appropriations bill, bringing the total amount available for F-15 production to $175 million.