The following is a statement from Boeing CEO Harry Stonecipher
to employees, amidst the Defense Department investigation into
possible conflicts of interest involved in the recently signed 767
tanker deal:
"It is important that sufficient time be built into the 767 tanker
program schedule to accommodate the Secretary of Defense’s
reviews. Consequently, starting on February 23, Boeing will slow
the development efforts on the Air Force 767 tanker. We will
implement this slowdown in a manner that will keep key program
elements intact in the months ahead. (Production on the Japanese
and Italian tanker programs will not be affected by this slowdown.)
As we stated in our most recent quarterly earnings report, through
the end of 2003 Boeing had spent $270 million of company money o