Wash., Ala. politicians push Air Force over Boeing-Northrop tanker battle

Published 11:53 am Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Tomorrow, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., will chat with Air Force leaders about the aerial refueling tanker contest between the Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman and EADS.

Murray plans to question Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz about the multi-billion dollar competition set to start again this summer.

The senator “will also push them on the critical need to maintain a strong domestic industrial base,” according to a press statement.

With a huge Boeing presence in her state, Murray opposed the Air Force’s decision last year to award a $35 billion contract to Northrop and EADS for their KC-30 tanker. Boeing, which offered its KC-767, protested the Air Force’s decision. The Pentagon eventually halted the contract.

Yesterday, an opinion piece by U.S. Reps. Jo Bonner and Artur Davis showed up in the Washington Times. The two representatives are from Alabama, where Northrop and EADS would build their KC-30.

Bonner and Davis want the Air Force to proceed with the contest using the previous requirements. They suggest the Air Force should “tweak” the RFP to account for suggestions made by government auditors last year.

Like Murray, the two Alabama politicians say they want a fair competition:

“If the RFP is slanted to predetermine a winner, there will not be a meaningful competition. Without a real competition, we risk repeating the one-sided KC-767 lease deal. Boeing is a proud company with a distinguished tradition, but the record of that deal is replete with proven corruption and excessive costs.”

But Bonner and Davis say they would support a split-buy:

“A dual contract may well be the only way to break the political impasse and avoid another lengthy round of protests.”

Defense Secretary Robert Gates opposes a split-buy.

Murray’s talk with the Air Force will be Web cast tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. PST .