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2008-03-07 Home Front: Politix

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Posted by swksvolFF 2008-03-07 11:12|| || Front Page|| [11129 views ] Top

#1 I'm surprised it didn't go to a Saudi Arabian company or something.

Ahh, the joys of globalization.

Posted by bigjim-ky 2008-03-07 12:52|| 2008-03-07 12:52|| Front Page Top

#2 Actually theres a very good chance they chose the Airbus offering because the USAF just told Airbus they were going to buy 179 or so A330 based tankers to replace the KC-135.

Posted by Valentine 2008-03-07 13:42|| 2008-03-07 13:42|| Front Page Top

#3 Boeing was supposed to be debriefed by the USAF today as to why they lost; i just checked the on line Seattle Times and they have no new info about that, but they did offer two interesting and probably related tidbits: expect another delay in the 787 and the Boeing Commercial Aircraft Manufacturing Chief is retiring ( 5 years early).
the UK tanker contract was undoubtedly slated to be a 'hanger-on' to the USAF one. they have probably negotiated favorable prices based on quantity.....(disclaimer: this is pure speculation on my part)

Posted by USN, Ret. 2008-03-07 17:03|| 2008-03-07 17:03|| Front Page Top

#4 This just showed up on the Seattle _PI's aerospace page: looks like Boeing may appeal.
Boeing tanker debriefing over
The Air Force has finished briefing Boeing on why it came up short on the tanker competition.

Boeing says it has "significant concerns.''

Here is the latest just issued by Boeing.

Boeing: Uncertainty About Process Remains After Air Force Tanker Debrief

ST. LOUIS, March 7, 2008 - The U.S. Air Force has completed a debriefing
for The Boeing Company [NYSE:BA] during which acquisition officials
sought to explain why they selected a team of Northrop Grumman and the
European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) for a contract to
replace aerial refueling tankers.
The debriefing on Friday came one week after the Air Force's surprising
announcement that it had chosen the Northrop-EADS team over the Boeing
KC-767 tanker offering.
"We spent several hours with Air Force leaders, listening and probing,
all in an effort to better understand the reasoning behind their
decisions," said Mark McGraw, Boeing vice president and program manager
of the KC-767 tanker. "While we are grateful for the timely debriefing,
we left the room with significant concerns about the process in several
areas, including program requirements related to capabilities, cost and
risk; evaluation of the bids and the ultimate decision."

"What is clear now is that reports claiming that the Airbus offering won
by a wide margin could not be more inaccurate," said McGraw.
Boeing officials said that they will take the next few days to evaluate
the data presented and will give serious consideration to filing a
protest.

"Our plan now is to work through the weekend to come to a decision on
our course of action early next week," said McGraw. "It will be a very
rigorous and deliberative process to ensure we're balancing the needs of
the warfighter with our desire to be treated fairly. For decades Boeing
has been recognized as a defense company that never takes lightly
protests of our customers' decisions."

Posted by USN, Ret. 2008-03-07 17:44|| 2008-03-07 17:44|| Front Page Top

#5 If Boeing were smart (heh), they'd sit down, figure out how they lost and come back in the next competition. Remember folks, the tanker contract is being done in three parts, and we just did part 1.

Next time, Boeing: use the 777 as the base plane, and make sure your total life-span costs for the plane slide under the A330.

Posted by Steve White">Steve White 2008-03-07 18:11|| 2008-03-07 18:11|| Front Page Top

#6 See also PR NEWSWIRE/US NEWSIRE > A [USA]GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS AGZ ITSELF HAS NO DEFENSE -THE EADS TANKER CONTRADICTION. USA-USAF awarding tanker contract to EU consortium well-known from resorting to illegal subsidies harmful to US interests???

Posted by JosephMendiola 2008-03-07 21:25|| 2008-03-07 21:25|| Front Page Top

#7 Congratulations on your first post swksvoFF! Nice background comments, too. More, please (yes, I am greedy!).

Posted by trailing wife 2008-03-07 22:18|| 2008-03-07 22:18|| Front Page Top

#8 Boeing got sand bagged by the Air Force. They were told the Air Force wanted a KC-135 replacement and cargo capacity was not important. So they submitted the B767 vs the A330 which cost 1/3 more. Otherwise Boeing would have submitted the B777 since both airframes were considered.

Posted by ed 2008-03-07 22:33|| 2008-03-07 22:33|| Front Page Top

23:45 JosephMendiola
23:30 Frank G
23:30 JosephMendiola
23:23 crosspatch
23:23 tu3031
23:22 trailing wife
23:21 crosspatch
23:18 Seafarious
23:17 trailing wife
23:16 JosephMendiola
23:15 Frank G
23:09 trailing wife
23:08 Free Radical
23:07 mojo
23:01 mojo
23:00 Free Radical
22:56 trailing wife
22:55 ed
22:52 tu3031
22:44 trailing wife
22:34 Spailet Black6588
22:33 ed
22:26 ed
22:21 trailing wife