Boeing Wins $216-Million Pact for Work on Air Force Bomber

Boeing Co. said Wednesday it won a $216-million contract from the U.S. Air Force to design and develop new defense electronics for the B-1B Lancer bomber.

Much of the work will be done in California by aerospace divisions that Boeing bought from Rockwell International Corp. last year. Rockwell was the lead contractor on the B-1B.

The new equipment will help the jet plane detect enemy missiles and aircraft more effectively, Boeing said.

The contract covers the design, development and testing of the new equipment, which will take until 2002. Installation in the 95 B-1Bs in service will start in 2003.