Boeing sees F/A-18 fighter line continuing through 2017

Boeing Co said on Sunday it was optimistic it could maintain production of its F/A-18 and EA-18G fighter jets in St. Louis through the end of 2017 - a year longer than expected - if Congress approved additional orders of a dozen more planes.

But the Pentagon's chief weapons buyer, Frank Kendall, told reporters that slowing production to extend the line was likely to increase costs at a time when budgets were already tight.

"I don’t see how we can do that without it costing money and we just don't have money to spend on things that aren’t core requirements right now," Kendall said at a separate briefing.

Read more