Battle heats up to fund Boeing Growler jets

Boeing Co., the Machinists union and Missouri lawmakers are stepping up efforts to restore money to the Navy’s budget for attack planes made at the company’s St. Louis operations.

The International Association of Machinists said Monday it will send 26 people to Washington next week to lobby Congress to restore $2.1 billion for 22 Boeing EA-18G Growler jets. Supports say the funding will keep the plane’s production line going past 2016 and preserve 60,000 jobs nationwide. Boeing has set up a website, SupportGrowler.com.

Missouri lawmakers say they’ve gathered more than 80 signatures from members of the House Armed Services Committee, Reuters reported.

Boeing delivered the 100th Growler to the Navy on Monday.

“Given the threat environment we are moving into, the Growler will play a major role in identifying, tracking, targeting and potentially firing upon the enemy,” said Capt. Frank Morley, U.S. Navy F/A-18 and EA-18G program manager, during the ceremony in St. Louis.

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h/t Reuters