WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- Kansas airplane maker Beechcraft has lost a legal battle to halt work on a high-stakes Air Force contract awarded to rival Sierra Nevada Corp.
The U.S. Court of Federal Claims on Friday denied Beechcraft's request for a temporary injunction.
The contract for 20 planes for use in Afghanistan is worth more than $427 million. It could be worth as much as $1 billion, depending on future orders.
Wichita-based Beechcraft said that while it reluctantly accepted the court's opinion it will continue to contest the award through the Government Accountability Office.
Sierra Nevada, in a partnership with Brazil's Embraer, plans to build the planes in Jacksonville, Fla. The companies said in a joint statement that the decision ensures work will continue uninterrupted for delivery of the planes on schedule in mid-2014.
