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Airbus consortium wins $40 billion US military contract
BBC News ^ | 1st March 2008 | BBC News

Posted on 03/01/2008 8:19:12 PM PST by the scotsman

Boeing's loss of a $40bn contract to build a new in-flight refuelling aircraft for the US military has drawn angry protests in Congress.

Lawmakers from Washington state and Kansas, which have big Boeing plants, voiced "outrage" that it had gone to a consortium including Europe's Airbus.

The planes will be assembled in Alabama but constructed largely in Europe.

Boeing has said it is awaiting an explanation from the military before deciding whether or not to appeal.

The new aircraft, named the KC-45A by the US Air Force, is based on the Airbus A330 and will be manufactured in partnership with US defence firm Northrop Grumman.

Its job will be to refuel the vast array of US warplanes and the contract is worth in the region of $40bn over 15 years.'

(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: aerospace; airbus; dod; eads; fuletanker; manufacturing; usaf
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1 posted on 03/01/2008 8:19:14 PM PST by the scotsman
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To: the scotsman
That's just what we need to do---REWARD FRANCE!!! /s

This will really hurt John McCain. I wonder if he will still be bragging (like he does every chance he gets) about 'scuttling' the Boeing tanker deal.

I'm sure the Obama camp is working feverishly to add up the 'net job' loss here in the US. I'm sure we will be hearing the number early, often and soon.

That's also what we need to do now--is start OUTSOURCING many of our very best high paying tech jobs to Europe. Unbelievable.

2 posted on 03/01/2008 8:29:37 PM PST by stockstrader
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To: the scotsman
Heres what a conservative by the name of Duncan Hunter had to say:

One lawmaker called the decision to award the contract to Northrop Grumman a blow to the American defense industry and an economic boon for European countries.

"These are the same European governments who are unwilling to support us in the global war on terror and over the last few months refused to provide even an additional 100 soldiers apiece for Afghanistan operations," said Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-California.

"Instead, we have to send 3,200 additional U.S. Marines to Afghanistan while they take $35 billion in American taxpayer contracts."

3 posted on 03/01/2008 8:33:16 PM PST by NoLibZone (Duncan Hunter- The very Govts unwilling to support us in the WOT got the Fuel Tanker Deal)
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To: the scotsman

Air Force awards tanker contract to Northrop-EADS
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1978945/posts

Boeing loses $40B air refueling tanker bid to Northrop, EADS
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1978836/posts

EADS/Northrop upsets Boeing in Air Force tanker competition — analyst
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1978471/posts

Northrop/EADS wins [Air Force] tanker contract
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1978473/posts

Alabama And Mobile Excited Over $40 Billion Deal (Air Force Tanker)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1978655/posts

Congress in turmoil over Air Force tanker decision
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1978622/posts

U.S. Job Creation Not a Factor in Tanker Contract Award
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1978620/posts


4 posted on 03/01/2008 8:33:41 PM PST by PAR35
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To: the scotsman

Russian programmers are very good as are the Indians.

We need to get them to program the Fly by Wire aspect of the plane to save money.

The USD is better against their currencies than the EURO.


5 posted on 03/01/2008 8:40:34 PM PST by NoLibZone (Duncan Hunter- The very Govts unwilling to support us in the WOT got the Fuel Tanker Deal)
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To: PAR35
This thread should continue just for the listing of links to the other threads on this.

Some topics are so cryptic that doing a search won't find them. But for this one searches on either keyword "tanker" or "EADS" found several prior threads.

6 posted on 03/01/2008 8:42:00 PM PST by Solitar ("My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them." -- Barry Goldwater)
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To: smoothsailing; jazusamo; Just A Nobody

Ping


7 posted on 03/01/2008 8:42:30 PM PST by freema (Proud Marine Niece, Daughter, Wife, Friend, Sister, Cousin, Mom and FRiend)
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To: NoLibZone
"These are the same European governments who are unwilling to support us in the global war on terror and over the last few months refused to provide even an additional 100 soldiers apiece for Afghanistan operations," said Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-California. "Instead, we have to send 3,200 additional U.S. Marines to Afghanistan while they take $35 billion in American taxpayer contracts."

Gee, Hunter doesn't seem too impressed with the machinations of the interventionist globalists.

8 posted on 03/01/2008 9:10:03 PM PST by Nephi ( Isn't it ironic that it is McCain who has ties to George Soros, not Ron Paul?)
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To: freema; smoothsailing; Just A Nobody

Thanks for the ping, Ma. I know McCain is named in this but it’s hard for me to believe that Fat Jack Murtha doesn’t have as much or more to do with this pitiful decision.


9 posted on 03/01/2008 9:12:14 PM PST by jazusamo (DefendOurMarines.org | DefendOurTroops.org)
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To: the scotsman
With people pulling EADS contracts left and right because of delays and incompetence, the US govt sees fit to keep them afloat.

This is wrong in so many different ways.

10 posted on 03/01/2008 9:15:29 PM PST by HeartlandOfAmerica (Don't blame me - I voted for Fred and am STILL a FredHead!)
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To: the scotsman

What a load of complete BS! We are being sold down the river folks!


11 posted on 03/01/2008 9:56:27 PM PST by vpintheak (Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked. Prov. 25:26)
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To: the scotsman

The way I see it, the sooner we can destroy our own aircraft manufacturing, the better it will be for the nation. /s

Just damn! Is no industry sacred to our national security?

Airbus? They were about to go under, and good riddance. Now this.

Wow... brilliant. /s


12 posted on 03/01/2008 10:33:38 PM PST by DoughtyOne (We've got Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dumb & Tweedle Dumber left. Name them in order. I dare ya.)
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To: the scotsman

Well BongBong did sell 767 tankers to JApan for example.

Haven’t delieved yet, mind you, but I’m sure they will get there at some point.


13 posted on 03/01/2008 11:09:20 PM PST by ASOC (.)
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To: the scotsman

You have GOT to be kidding me.

Why don’t we just sell off everything like the DUmmies want?


14 posted on 03/01/2008 11:11:36 PM PST by VeniVidiVici (Benedict Arnold was against the Terrorist Surveillance Program)
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To: VeniVidiVici

Nest thing you know they will have HUMVEES built by Subaru, Strykers made by Toyota, and Tanks made by Isuzu


15 posted on 03/01/2008 11:48:49 PM PST by rontorr (It's just my opinion, but I am RIGHT!)
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To: rontorr

Sorry to break the news to you guys, but Boeing ceased to be an “American” company at least a decade ago. Large portions of that 767 tanker are made by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. How ‘bout that All-American 787 made in Italy, France, Japan, Germany, CHINA, and North Carolina? Oh, and their shady defense contract kerfuffle probably had something to do with it too.


16 posted on 03/02/2008 12:23:55 AM PST by RedQuill
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To: NoLibZone

It’s Boeing’s fault. The Nothrop Grumman aircraft was rated superior to the Boeing aircraft in every rated category. It’s going to create about 1500 jobs in Mobile AL.


17 posted on 03/02/2008 4:00:08 AM PST by Old Retired Army Guy (tHE)
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To: Solitar

Yes, but I do get tired of having to repeat myself to the tag teams of jingoists, Boeing lackies, and assorted folks from the liberal Pacific Northwest.

Spin is one thing, but I do get angered by some of the outright fabrications that I’ve seen.

I’ll use shorthand for my points on this thread. If anyone wants detail, they can click on some of the links above.

Boeing would create more jobs in China, EADS will create more jobs in the US.

Boeing concentrates jobs in liberal, democrat states where the politicians hate the military, EADS will put jobs in Republican areas.

Boeing got burned by their own corruption. If they had played straight the first time around, they would have won on merit at that point, and wouldn’t had to have faced a completed competitor

The Air Force tries to pass business around to maintain a strategic industrial base. If they want to keep Northrup in the game, this was needed.


18 posted on 03/02/2008 7:59:26 AM PST by PAR35
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To: PAR35

Boeing shot themselves in the foot when they decleard them selves to be “an international corporation” instead of being an American Company.

They forgot that they were in the Airplane business to make a profit.

They stopped kissing local liberal a$$ and went for kissing Internation liberal a$$

Last week the EU burned Microsoft and now its happening again.

When you lie with dogs, You get fleas.

They need to become an American Co again.


19 posted on 03/02/2008 10:18:35 PM PST by kennyboy509 (Ha! I kill me!)
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To: DoughtyOne
the more I think about this the more I am of two minds.....why should we taxpayers and the US military be hostage to ONE company who has not performed well and infact, has been shown to have bribed officials?...

these union Boeing workers have some gall....how many Toyotas and hondas and BMW's are in the parking lot?......and yet the US can't go for the best plane?

those Boeing workers make big money and get big bonuses...I don't feel too bad for them..

20 posted on 03/02/2008 10:28:20 PM PST by cherry
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