DULUTH – A defense contractor is eyeing the former AAR Corp. hangar at the Duluth International Airport to bring new aircraft-maintenance work — and 100 jobs — to town.
If awarded a federal contract, Utah-based Borsight Inc. would spend a year servicing U.S. Air Force F-16 jets and could potentially plant a more permanent presence in Duluth.
The company would pay the city nearly $127,000 per month for the lease on the 189,000-square-foot hangar — which will only happen if the federal bid is awarded, and that may not be known until March.
"They are required, as part of their proposal, to have in hand a commitment that they will have the physical facilities to fulfill the contract," the lease agreement states. "Borsight has also indicated that there is a possibility that, depending on the progression of the federal contract and the way the work progresses in Duluth, this lease could serve as the basis for a longer-term relationship."
Chris Fleege, director of planning and development for the city of Duluth, said the contract calls for 10 years of F-16 maintenance.
"We're really excited for it," he said. "It couldn't have been more perfect timing if this plays out."
Borsight was founded in 2006 and has serviced numerous aircraft for the Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Reserve at the Ogden, Utah, airport where it is based.
In 2019 Borsight announced it would work with Belgian aircraft giant SABCA on an F-16 "depot-level maintenance and repair services" request, with a contract worth up to $900 million. Company officials did not respond to requests for comment about the potential expansion to Duluth.
