Air Force mistake gives hope to Boeing on tanker contract

[David]

Tacoma News Tribune


News that the Air Force erred in calculating the life-cycle costs of Boeing’s proposed airborne tanker gave new hope Thursday that the Air Force’s award of the $35 billion tanker contract to a European-U.S. consortium could be overturned.

Both The Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman Corp. acknowledged Thursday that the Air Force discovered an error in its calculations of the comparative operating costs of the rival tankers. New Air Force data indicate the Boeing tanker would be cheaper to operate than the Northrop Grumman offering.

Boeing had proposed a variant of its 767 airliner built in Everett, and Northrop Grumman and European Aeronautics and Defense Systems had proposed a conversion of the Airbus A330 commercial jet built in France and assembled in a new plant in Mobile, Ala.

The Air Force earlier this year awarded the tanker contract to the Northrop Grumman-EADS consortium. Boeing has protested that award process to the Government Accountability Office. The GAO’s decision on Boeing’s protest is due next Thursday.

“Now that we see that the data wasn’t correct and the costs were less, we’re looking forward to getting some answers,” Boeing spokesman Bill Barksdale told Bloomberg News.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said she was not surprised that the Air Force has made mistakes.

“This process was flawed from the outset, and this is further evidence that we need serious answers from the Pentagon before moving forward,” she said. “I’m glad that the Air Force has taken some responsibility for this error, but Congress and the American taxpayer need a full accounting of the decision, not a slow drip of information.”

Northrop said the errors were relatively minor and were not enough to overcome the A330-based tanker’s operational superiority over the Boeing 767-based plane.

“Perfection, while an admirable goal, is rarely achieved in human affairs and particularly not in something as complex” as the tanker competition, said Northrop spokesman Randy Belote.

“Despite any minor inaccuracies in the process, the tanker providing the most capability at the best overall value is still the Northrop Grumman KC-45,” he told Bloomberg.

The Air Force had no comment on the news.

The Air Force in February said the larger size of the A330 tanker was a significant factor in deciding in its favor. Boeing contends that the 767 will be less expensive to operate, will be able to use more airfields and will be more survivable in a war zone than the Northrop Grumman-EADS tanker.

Boeing is also arguing that the Air Force requirements didn’t say that the plane’s cargo and troop-carrying capacity would be a factor in the ultimate contract decision.

If a greater cargo capacity was an issue, Boeing could have proposed a version of its 777, which is larger than the A330.

Both Boeing and Northrop Grumman are marshalling their political forces to ensure that they receive the contract, which could ultimately be worth more than $100 billion if the Air Force and foreign governments buy more of the tankers.

At issue in any political fight over the contract is the question of American jobs. Boeing contends that some 44,000 U.S. jobs would be created if it received the tanker contract. Northrop Grumman claims its tanker will support 25,000 American jobs in 49 states.

[Keith_Hixson]

This should be reversed! America first. Boeing has an outstanding record and should have some consideration on its past record. Plus the loss of American Jobs, this decision was just wrong.

Keith

[reconeil]

I must believe that you too see the hypocrisy of it all coming from America's perpetually
divided & combative policy makers, which never seems to cease during our absurdly and
Never Ending Campaign Carnival.

Yeah, sure, and of course. "Buy American" & "Save American Jobs" makes a lot of sense.

Still. it is too bad that about half of America's Leaders and/or Politically-Correct Rulers
quite asininely & usually endorse, encourage & decree just the opposite. In fact, and even
thought quite ironic, those career-ruling elite most guilty of causing American Job Losses are
usually ones most vocal at promissing to increase American Jobs. What hypocrite phonies
and truly amazing!

What's even more amazing behavior by obviously stupid policy makers, is now even the
encouragement the procurement & production of U.S. Military Equipment from abroad.
Stupidly trusting foreign nationals with Classified Material aside, how-on-earth could our
leaders so cavalierly go against what best for U.S. Military Lives and what in the best
interest of the lives & livelihoods of The U.S. Taxpayer/Worker?

Besides, isn't such daily dictated nonsense basically nationally-suicidal,...at best?

Damn,...surely hope that America stays lucky?

Neil

[Keith_Hixson]

AMEN!

But, I don't think its the liberals that are totally to blame. It's a mind set in the U.S. Unions which are trying to protect American jobs are dead set against this decision and they tend to be liberal. It goes beyond Party Lines and I believe its a bureacratic mindset by professional government workers in Washington who really rule the nation and allow the Politicians to think that they do.

Keith

[reconeil]

TRUE ENOUGH,...since even so called: "Liberals(?)" and/or predominant rulers of America for
about last 45 of last 60 (or more) years haven't done what they normally do, in a vacuum.
If weren't for about 15 years of Republican/Conservative controlled Congresses & Administrations:
"Caving-in" or "Dancing to the tune" of absurd Leftist Political Supremacist Demands similarly
as when The Minority,...America wouldn't be in THE FIX WE ARE TODAY.

Will never understand why America's Republican/Conservatives FINALLY win, they don't act
like Free & Sovereign Winners? Or, and for that matter, even the most often LOOSERS they
don't: "Screammmmmmmmm bloody murder" about obviously nationally-suicidal DICTATES!!!

Do Republican Politicians in general fear going against Democrat Desires, SO-DAMN-MUCH?

Do many Republican Leaders have Allegiances & Paydays elsewhere, ALSO??

Are Republicans ALSO so fearful of: "World Opinion", United Nations, Mexico City & such???

Sorry Keith (plus America),...but the above sensible questions don't paint a very pretty picture.

Neil