To that end, Northrop Grumman issued the following "Fact Sheet,"
presented below, unedited:
Northrop Grumman, a Los Angeles-based company with over 120,000
employees, is the KC-45A tanker prime contractor
A contract between the US Air Force and Northrop Grumman
Corporation for the Northrop Grumman KC-45A was signed on February
29, 2008.
Northrop Grumman KC-45A primary subcontractors include
EADS-North America, General Electric, Honeywell, AAR Cargo Systems,
Sargent Fletcher, Knight Aerospace Products, Parker and
Telephonics.
Jobs
The Northrop Grumman KC-45A US
supplier base includes 230 companies in 49 states.
The Northrop Grumman KC-45A tanker will support more than
25,000 direct and indirect jobs in the United States -- a
conservative estimate based upon the US Department of Commerce
aerospace industry jobs projection formula.
Using more recent data from our suppliers and applying the
Labor Department's formula for projecting aerospace jobs at the
state and regional level, the KC-45A will employ approximately
48,000 direct and indirect jobs nationwide.
Assembly and militarization of the Northrop Grumman KC-45A
tanker will take place in Mobile, AL, resulting in the creation of
1,500 jobs in the United States.
Job creation was not a part of the evaluation criteria, in
accordance with federal law.
The Northrop Grumman KC-45A tanker program does not transfer
any jobs from the United States to France or any other foreign
country.
Repayable Loans / WTO Dispute Issue
The US Department of Defense ruled that the disputes involving
Boeing and Airbus currently being adjudicated by the World Trade
Organization were not relevant to the US Air Force's KC-X Tanker
competition.
Acquisition Process
The KC-45A competition underwent the most rigorous, fair and
transparent acquisition process in Defense Department history.
Throughout the process, both competitors in the KC-45A
acquisition hailed the Air Force for conducting a fair and open
competition.
The size of the proposed tanker aircraft was not dictated by
the Air Force nor was size an established criteria -- each
contractor was free to propose the best solution and platform to
meet Air Force warfighter requirements.
Both contractors had ample opportunity in the protracted
acquisition and source selection process to propose the best aerial
refueling capability to meet the warfighter's requirements.
Reduced Risk to the Government
The first Northrop Grumman KC-45A tanker aircraft was built in
July 2007 and flown in September 2007.
The Northrop Grumman KC-45A Aerial Refueling Boom System has
completed 73 test flights totaling more than 200 flight hours. The
boom completed the first in-flight fuel transfer on Feb. 29, 2008
passing 2,000 pounds of fuel to a Portuguese Air Force F-16 combat
aircraft.
The Northrop Grumman KC-45A is based upon the Royal Australian
Air Force KC-30B Multirole Tanker -- which has been built, flown,
and is undergoing flight tests. It will be delivered on schedule to
the Royal Australian Air Force in early 2009.
Boeing's proposed KC-767AT tanker and refueling boom were never
built, flown or tested.
Industrial Base
The Northrop Grumman KC-45A tanker program will create a new
aerospace manufacturing corridor in the southeastern United
States.
The KC-45A program helps return competitiveness to the US
aerospace industry.
Foreign Content
All modern jetliners are built from a global supplier base, and
the two entrants in the KC-45A competition are no exception.
Boeing's proposed tanker includes parts manufactured in Japan,
United Kingdom, Canada and Italy.
Northrop Grumman tanker includes parts built in the United
Kingdom, Germany, Spain and France -- countries exempt under the
Buy America Law.
The Northrop Grumman KC-45A will include approximately 60
percent US content. It is America's tanker.
Foreign Suppliers to US Military Programs
There are numerous examples of transatlantic cooperation on
vital US military programs. Foreign suppliers currently play
essential roles in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the VH-71
Presidential Helicopter and the C-27J Joint Cargo Aircraft
program.
No sensitive military technology will be exported to Europe.
For the KC-45A program, a commercial A330 jetliner will be
assembled by American workers in EADS's facility in Mobile. The
aircraft will then undergo military conversion in an adjacent
Northrop Grumman facility. All of the KC-45A's critical military
technology will be added by an American company, Northrop Grumman,
in America, in Mobile, AL.
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