JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Boeing and the Jacksonville Aviation Authority have reached an agreement on a 25-year lease to expand its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations at Cecil Field, the aviation authority announced Thursday.
The agreement calls for JAA to build new facilities, including roughly 270,000 square feet of hangar space and over 100,000 square feet of office space on a 30 acres near Boeing’s existing MRO site, and lease those facilities to Boeing. Construction is set to begin next fall and be completed around January 2024, according to a JAA release.
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“Since taking ownership from the Navy, the Authority developed Cecil into one of the preeminent airports for aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul in the United States,” Jacksonville Aviation Authority CEO Mark VanLoh said. “This announcement is one of the most significant in the JAA’s history and a testament to what an economic powerhouse Cecil Airport is for Northeast Florida.”
After opening in 1999, the Boeing Cecil Field facility has worked on maintenance, modifications and upgrades for nearly 1,000 military aircraft, including the F/A-18 A-D Hornet, the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and the EA-18G Growler. It’s also the site of a flight control repair center where, among other things, Boeing has converted F/A-18 Super Hornets into aircraft for the Navy’s elite Blue Angels squadron.
“This investment in facility improvements supports our ability to deliver on current and future defense services work at the Cecil Field site and aligns with Boeing’s infrastructure optimization efforts,” said Warren Helm, Boeing Cecil Field site leader. “We collaborate continuously with our U.S. defense customers to ensure our modification capabilities can support their readiness objectives in strategic locations around the globe. This new agreement builds upon that commitment.”