GE lands major military contracts

LYNN – A pair of huge military contracts are heading to Lynn after the Department of Defense awarded them to the General Electric River Works plant.One contract, totaling more than $327 million, is a modification to a previously awarded contract to provide additional funding for 80 F414 engines, two F414 spare engines and one high-pressure turbine module.The F414 engines are used in the Navy’s F-18 Super Hornet fighters based on aircraft carriers, and work is expected to be completed in June 2014.The U.S. defense department said in a statement that 59 percent of the work will be done in Lynn with the remaining work done in Hooksett, N.H., Rutland, Vt. and Madisonville, Ky.River Works spokesman Richard Gorham said the contract will help maintain current levels of employment and production at the plant.”This is the type of contract we need on an ongoing basis to maintain the volume in our shops that we have,” said Gorham. “In terms of general landscape, these are the level of contracts that we were hoping for and anticipating.”Gorham said the military, and specifically the Navy, are the Lynn plant’s “top customers.””Military business is critical for the Lynn plant,” said Gorham. “We’re about 65 to 70 percent military. All military contracts we’re able to procure are very important.”Gorham said the plant also works heavily with the U.S. Army.GE was also awarded a $105 million contract for the repair or replacement of T700 engine components. The T700 engines are used on the H-60 Black Hawk and the AH-1 Super Cobra helicopters.Gorham said the T700 contract is a Performance Based Logistics contract.”It’s basically a spare parts readiness contract with the Navy where we provide necessary parts and components to make sure their depots are equipped to service them and upgrade when they come back from the fleet,” said Gorham.The F414 has been manufactured at the River Works since 1993. GE workers built their 1,000th F414 engine in 2010. The plant also produces commercial engines and components.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].