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Tanker contest still causing turmoil abroad, concern at home
Posted
at
1:01 pm
by Michelle Dunlop
Herald Writer
Despite Northrop Grumman’s withdrawal last week, the Air Force tanker contest continues to stir up controversy.
Leaders of France and Germany remain concerned about whether the Air Force has conducted a fair contest. Northrop had teamed up with Europe’s EADS for the $35 billion contract to supply the U.S. Air Force with 179 aerial refueling tankers. As the remaining competitor, the Boeing Co. seemed a shoo-in for the lucrative contract.
But late last week, Pentagon sources said the Air Force may extend the tanker contest deadline to allow Northrop’s partner, EADS, a chance to compete on its own or after finding a new partner.
This morning, government leaders in France and Germany said they’ll look into the Air Force tanker contest and “will examine the implications of future developments in this affair.”
The two said they need to “affirm that transatlantic economic relations must be founded on open markets and equitable competition."
In the U.S., politicians from Washington and Kansas, two states which would see the bulk of work on Boeing’s tanker, pressed Pentagon officials not to change the contest on EADS’ behalf.
“Delaying the process because a potential bidder cannot assemble a responsive bid in a timely manner amounts to favoring vendors at the expense of our soldiers, sailors and airmen. They – not any of the companies who might want to build the tanker – are the ultimate customer, and we should not waste any time getting them the new equipment they so desperately need,” said Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire, in a statement Monday.
Members of the Kansas delegation told Defense Secretary Robert Gates that extending the bid deadline would be “unacceptable.” In Kansas, there has been some questions about how many jobs and how much work the Boeing tanker would bring.
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