Missouri is a center for advanced manufacturing excellence
Every summer hundreds of thousands of spectators will head to air shows, and look to the skies to watch the U.S Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, in their F/A-18 fighter jets.
But did you know those jets were made in Missouri?
The F/A-18 is a twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter jet developed by The Boeing Company’s Defense, Space & Security division, located in St. Louis, Missouri. Boeing has developed the F/A-18 at its Missouri facility since its merger with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. And McDonnell Douglas built the F/A-18 in St. Louis from 1978 to 1997.
Missouri has a rich history in aerospace, from Charles Lindbergh, to the Mercury Space Program, to the latest in aerospace innovation. Today, that cutting edge innovation continues with more than 70 companies across Missouri, including Boeing, and more than 72,000 employees leading the way in every aspect of military aviation and ordinance.
Missouri aerospace manufacturers are supported by the state’s cost-competitive, pro-business, and innovative environment, exceptional talent, extensive training programs, access to raw materials, and globally connected infrastructure. In addition to the F/A-18, both the EA-18 Growler and the F-15 Strike Eagle fighter jets are made in Missouri, along with a vast array of military ordinance.
Missouri’s aerospace manufacturing talent is deep, specialized, and experienced. For more than 100 years Missouri talent has constructed some of the finest airplanes to grace the skies. Additionally, Missouri’s central location allows for aerospace manufacturers to receive raw materials, and ship their finished product, quickly and efficiently to the global market via our international airports, extensive river barge infrastructure or any of the US Class 1 railroads.
As the F/A-18 and other Missouri-made fighter jets continue to project American military strength around the world their pilots and crew can know they are safe in one of the finest pieces of aerospace machinery ever created, and it was made in Missouri.
For more information about the Missouri’s aerospace manufacturing industry visit http://www.missouripartnership.com/Industries/Missouris-Industries/Advanced-Manufacturing