Heraldnet.com
FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2008 9:14 am
LocalNorthwestNation & WorldPoliticsSpecial ReportsPhotosColumnistsMultimedia 
RECENT POSTS:
Tanker wars: Ala. lawmakers denounce Boeing’s 'misinformation' ads  July 24

Cocky or confident: How worried should Boeing be about its backlog?  July 24

Emirates steams up the skies with A380  July 23

Boeing sees minimal jet deferrals, 'concerned' about oil prices   July 23

Boeing vs. Northrop: Tanker ad wars, ad nauseam  July 22

Archives:
LINKS:

Airbus
Airbus
EADS
Orders and Deliveries

Analysts
Richard Aboulafia
Scott Hamilton

Blogroll
FleetBuzz
IAG Blog
Randy Tinseth's blog

Flight museum
Future of Flight
Museum of Flight

Labor Group
International Association of Machinists
Local 751 Machinists
SPEEA

Tanker competition
Air Force
Boeing's KC-767 tanker
Boeing's tanker blog
Government Accountability Office
Northrop's America's New Tanker
Northrop-EADS' KC-30

The Boeing Co.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Employment
New Airplane
Orders and Deliveries
RELATED ARTICLES:
Boeing shares tumble 6 percent  July 25
Big hole in 747 fuselage prompts Qantas flight to make emergency stop in Ma...  July 24
Boeing's income drops 19 percent  July 24
Acting Air Force secretary seeks confidence in tanker process  July 23
Profits slip, loans grow for Cascade Financial Corp.  July 23
Global trade key for Puget Sound region, officials say  July 22
Boeing buying unmanned aircraft builder  July 22
Boeing workers gauge prospects as union talks near  July 21
Airbus dominates Boeing at Farnborough air show  July 18
Breakthroughs led to airliner fuel-tank safety device  July 17
Interactive
Special report
 

ADVERTISEMENT

Aerospace Blog


Northrop Grumman (click to enlarge)
The Air Force selected Northrop and EADS's KC-30 for a $35 billion contract. The Air Force is hosting a "Name the Tanker" contest even though its decision has been protested by Boeing.
 
 

Air Force holds 'Name the Tanker' contest


Posted at 11:02 am by Michelle Dunlop

The Air Force took its time in naming the winner of a $35 billion tanker contest in February, delaying the announcement several times. But the Air Force isn’t wasting time in selecting a name for its new aerial refueling tanker – despite the fact that its award has been protested by losing bidder the Boeing Co.

Last week, the Air Force kicked off its “Name the Tanker” competition, asking Airmen to submit original names for the tanker proposed by Northrop Grumman and EADS.

During the contract bid, Northrop and EADS referred to their tanker as the KC-30, considering their tanker is based on an Airbus A330 commercial jet. EADS is the parent company of Airbus. The Air Force already refers to its new tanker – be it Northrop and EADS’ or Boeing’s – as the KC-45.

Boeing has protested the Air Force’s decision to give the contract to Northrop and EADS. And the Government Accountability Office has until June 19 to review the case.

That makes the Air Force’s timing a little odd. The contest concludes May 30, still well before the GAO is expected to rule.

I initially heard about the Air Force’s contest from this entry on the Tanker War Blog site. The blog is holding its own contest for naming the tanker. From the comment section, some entries included: flying frog and Scarebus. “Flying Death Trap” was ruled out by the blog’s moderator.
READER COMMENTS
Click here to see all Aerospace Blog comments
Log in or register to post new commentLog out
EADS Tanker Nickname
Maybe we should honor the French by calling it the 'S-Cargo', the Germans by calling it the 'Unleaded Zeppelin' or the idiots that stuck us with this joke the 'Dumb-Arse Express'.
Jeff Craig | May 20, 2008 9:02 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal
  Return to Aerospace Blog
TODAY'S TOP JOBS
 View All Top Jobs 
Top Cars
Top Homes


ADVERTISEMENT