WICHITA — Boeing says it could close its mammoth Wichita airplane-manufacturing plamt. The company said in a written statement Monday that with an eye to cuts in military spending and the economy, it is studying its options, which includes could include closing the Wichita facility. The Boeing plant is one of the largest private employers in the state and its departure would be a catastrophic blow to the state’s economy. That prompted a polite but pointed response from Gov. Sam Brownback. He says Kansas was one of the major players in successfully pushing for a U.S. Air Force contract for Boeing to produce the next generation of air-refueling tankers. Boeing promised repeatedly that winning the tanker contract would mean 7,500 jobs in Kansas, Brownback said. “We expect the company to honor that commitment,” he said, in a statement signed by the entire Kansas Congressional delegation. Boeing has been pushing some of its production overseas and in recent years, opened a manufacturing plant in South Carolina with cheaper, non-unionized workers.
Tuesday, Nov. 22, 7 a.m.
