Sun, May 04, 2008
Boeing Supporters Continue Fight Against Northrop/EADS
Plane
The Northrup Grumman-partnered EADS KC-45A team cleared a major
legislative hurdle this week, when lawmakers announced the Senate
Armed Services Committee approved startup funding for the new
fleet.
"This is great news for the tanker project," said Alabama
Senator Jeff Sessions, to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer this week.
Alabama stands to gain significant employment from the program as
EADS plans to build a tanker-manufacturing facility in Mobile.
Despite the gain, the US Air Force KC-X contract award to EADS
on February 29 continues to be protested by Boeing supporters. As ANN reported, the
wide-ranging protest by Boeing stems from its claim the US Air
Force changed the guidelines of the KC-X program to make the EADS
KC-45A, based on the Airbus A330, more competitive. Boeing states
its offering, the KC-767, better suited the original guidelines set
by the Air Force for the KC-X.
The Government Accountability Office is set to rule on the
protest by mid-June. Supporters of Boeing's bid say additional
steps are being taken to halt the program through congressional
action.
Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), chairman of the Senate committee, said
Thursday he would not support any such action before the Government
Accountability Office rules on the Boeing appeal. "We are not going
to prejudge the (tanker) debate," Levin told reporters. "We need
the GAO to reach an independent decision on the (Boeing) appeal.
Everybody ought to wait for that."
House supporters of the Boeing appeal hope to have more success
in halting the program. Washington Representative Norm Dicks states
the House defense appropriations subcommittee intends to intervene
to halt the EADS tanker project. Dicks sits as vice chairman of
that committee.
"We are going to try to eliminate the funding" for the tanker,
Dicks said, and push to "start this thing over again."
More News
Takeoff Roll The process whereby an aircraft is aligned with the runway centerline and the aircraft is moving with the intent to take off. For helicopters, this pertains to the act>[...]
“We’re proud of the hard work that went into receiving this validation, and it will be a welcome relief to our customers in the European Union. We couldn’t be mor>[...]
Also: 1800th E-Jet, Uncle Sam Sues For Landing Gear, Embraer Ag Plane, Textron Parts A friend of the family reported that Lt. Col. (Ret.) Richard Glenn Rutan flew west on Friday, M>[...]
Also: Virgin Galactic, B-29 Doc to Allentown, Erickson Fire-Fighters Bought, FAA Reauthorization After dealing with a big letdown after the unexpected decision by Skyreach to disco>[...]
"Aircraft Spruce is pleased to announce the acquisition of the parts distribution operations of Wag-Aero. Wag-Aero was founded in the 1960’s by Dick and Bobbie Wagner in the >[...]