Posted on 02/29/2008 7:13:12 PM PST by Paleo Conservative
If there IS a problem here, it can be dealt with by contractual stipulations with NGC/EADS by mandate of our stalwart gummint officials (including congresscritters), with, of course, the gentle, persistent prodding of concerned FReepers.
If there IS a problem here, it can be dealt with by contractual stipulations with NGC/EADS by mandate of our stalwart gummint officials (including congresscritters), with, of course, the gentle, persistent prodding of concerned FReepers.
p.s. the 330 MRTT has been flying since last fall (October?) and GB, the Aussies, Emirates, and the Saudis have all ordered it.
Huh? It's got three hoses and a boom.
There is still hope...for the liberals. They are giving it away at a prodigious rate. And the conservatives are trying to match them!
You mean Airbus already has a plant in Alabama producing tankers? That’s news to me. The tooling for a tanker is vastly different than for a passenger airplane. Trust me on this, I know what I am talking about here. Also, Japan is actually using one of OUR tankers.
“while currently outselling the 767 by 2.5 to 1”
That really ain’t saying much...
The basic components use the same basic jigs and fixtures and yeah, there are lots of differences; areas are strengthened, systems are added etc, but its a version of the existing A 330 airplane (500 in service) and its performance is very predictable.
And this version (A 330 MRTT) has been flying for several months now.
It is already built and flying.
Whatever 'tooling' required already exists.
Italy was the launch customer for the KC-767 in 2002. Japan signed up in 2003 and just got the first one, and it's over a year late and Boeing has agreed to pay a penalty for late delivery. The remaining 3 aircraft are to be delivered in '08, '09, and 2010. I don't know when Italy gets their 4 tankers.
Great Britain, Australia, UAE and Saudi Arabia have already chosen the 330 MRTT (over the KC-767). So did the USAF.
I think they SHOULD build the plant in Sweet Home so that American citizens will be employed building America's new military tanker/freighter/transport/medevac aircraft on American soil with American management by American labor.
Exactly the point of fact.
I guess they tried the same Shiite on the tankers.
The people of Seattle hate America and our government so for me Alabama is a more patriotic place to build the planes.
I would bet some heads are rolling in Washington State and also in DC.
Hey Hon get the chips and dip and take a seat to watch the hand wringing fun that is soon to begin.
However, with that said it is a sad day for America.
At first glance, I was going to say that the Air Force should choose the best plane, but then it occured to me Americans can make the best plane.
There is entirely too much hyperbole and histrionics on this thread. At the end of the day, all that should really matter is whether or not the men and women in the USAF have the absolute best product that our tax dollars can provide. We aren’t talking about cutting edge technology being imported from France. We’re not talking about F-22s. It’s simply a proven airframe that will be modified for military use in Mobile.
Too many people view military spending as a jobs program. Reading responses on the Seattle P-I website, the people up there almost saw this contract as an entitlement. The fact is that the EADS plane met the Pentagon’s specs and the Boeing plane didn’t. Plus, Boeing was corrupt in its dealings on this contract.
Some on this thread want to crucify McCain for his dealings with Boeing. But what he did was to shine the light on a sweetheart deal that was not in the best interest of the USAF.
Remember, the end result is all that should matter. And that end result is supplying our fighting forces with the best tanker possible.
4) the 767 is close to ready for replacement (altho UPS AND FEDEX ordered many last year)
UPS ordered 767’s — FedEx ordered 757’s
“Then build two of them and employ even more US Citizens. Or have the US manufacturer resubmit with a plane that can hold the adnl 20%.”
I’ve posted on this issue various times over the last several years. Each time I couldn’t get past that AIRBUS was the design that gave the best refueling capacity. I see it as a necessary Air Force program to keep warplanes fueled and in the air. Not a jobs program per se, but don’t the Northrop employees count ? As for Boeing resubmitting a new more competitive design, they had years to do just that, and SHOULD have. But they didn’t. Now times up, and USAF need the tankers.
“This plane will be built in France and flown to Alabama to have the decals put on”
From Northrop: “The KC-30 industrial team is committed to delivering an American military aircraft program, with tanker assembly and production taking place in Mobile, Alabama, and 58 percent of the aircraft, subsystems and support being provided by hundreds of American partners and suppliers. The KC-30 program will result in the in-sourcing of thousands of U.S aerospace jobs.”
As I said above, insinuations of treason are out of line. Boeing apparently didn’t design the best plane. Wishing punishment on the Air Force for Boeing for once not getting the contract is over the top. And generally absurd.
I thought the engines for the A330 wer going to be supplied by GE.
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