Report: Air Force to award tanker contract by end of Feb.

Published 10:30 am Thursday, February 17, 2011

The Air Force is aiming to award its $35 billion tanker contract by the end of February, two defense officials said yesterday.

DefenseNews reported yesterday that two Pentagon officials said the Air Force hopes

to bring an end to its decade-long effort to replace 179 of its KC-135 tankers.

The publication also reports that the feeling in the defense community is that EADS will beat the Boeing Co. for the lucrative contract.

EADS, the parent company of Airbus, was selected for the contract in February 2008. However, Boeing protested the award, which eventually was terminated when government auditors found flaws in the Air Force’s competition.

Boeing and EADS submitted their final proposals to the Air Force on Feb. 11, which makes for a speedy timeline if the Air Force indeed announces a winner by month’s end.

Today, several U.S. Senators representing states that would benefit from a Boeing win sent President Barack Obama a message on the tanker contest:

“On a fair and level playing field, American workers will win every time,” said Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. “But the tanker competition has been anything but fair and level. Airbus has attempted to underbid Boeing with the help of billions of dollars in illegal, market-distorting subsidies.”

“Job creation in the United States should start with the procurement of a Boeing tanker,” said Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan.

“I know that the aerospace workers in my state are hungry for this contract, can start producing these tankers tomorrow, and will deliver for our men and women in uniform,” said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.