The Air Force wants to replace its aging fleet of T-38 planes, which are nearly 50 years old, and analysts have said it could eventually buy up to 600 planes.

“Missouri has had a rich history of supporting aerospace ventures, from Charles Lindbergh, to the Mercury space program, to the latest innovation represented by the T-X,” Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said in a statement following the announcement. “We look forward to working with Boeing to provide support for the training of its skilled workforce and other incentives that will allow Boeing to meet its obligations to the U.S. Air Force.”

While not initially expected to be a huge net boost to St. Louis area jobs, the contract is expected to secure the future of the company’s St. Louis assembly line, which had been passed over for new fighter and bomber contracts. Most recently, Boeing had hoped to win a major long-range bomber contract that was awarded in 2015 to rival Northrop Grumman Corp. And the wind-down of Super Hornet purchases as the Air Force and Navy looked to the new F-35 joint strike fighter made by Lockheed Martin put its future as a military jet maker in doubt.

Northrop Grumman beats Boeing in USAF bomber competition Boeing had teamed up with Lockheed Martin for $50 billion contract