Time to rally for tankers … again

Published 2:26 pm Friday, February 19, 2010

It’s a Friday in February and the Machinists are getting ready to rally in support of Boeing in the Air Force tanker contest.

I can’t help but remember another Friday in February when the tone of the tanker rally was much, much different than the one I’ll see today.

It was just two years ago, on Feb. 29, 2008, when the Air Force shocked Boeing workers here in announcing that it had selected the tanker offered by Northrop Grumman and EADS over Boeing’s. The mood at that rally? Outrage.

It’s difficult not to dwell on how long the U.S. Air Force’s attempt at replacing its aerial refueling tankers has dragged on.

I took a peak at tanker stories published just in the month of February for each of the past few years. Here are few of the highlights:

2009: Murtha not sold on Boeing sole-source tanker contract

2008: Airbus-Northrop beats Boeing for tanker contract

2007: Boeing will use 767 for tanker

2006: Future of 767 anything but clear

2005: Reviving 767 for military may be costly

2004: 767 deal grounded again