Four governors support buying both Northrop and Boeing tankers
Published 1:17 pm Thursday, March 4, 2010
Although the Pentagon has rejected the notion of buying two tankers for the Air Force’s lucrative contract, that isn’t stopping supporters from lobbying President Barack Obama.
Politico reports that four governors have sent the president letters urging him to go forward with dual-procurement.
The governors of Maryland, West Virginia, Mississippi and Ohio support a plan that would have both the Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman building aerial refueling tankers for the Air Force.
The dual-buy idea has gained more attention lately, thanks in part to the group Build Them Both, which surfaced shortly before the Air Force released its tanker requirements.
Northrop’s Randy Belote declined to tell Politico whether the defense contractor is funding the Build Them Both campaign. But Northrop and the advocacy group have similar messages: building two tankers would create 100,000 jobs.
Northrop, which is working with EADS on the tanker, has said it may drop out of the Air Force competition. Company officials though the Air Force’s initial requirements favored Boeing’s KC-767 tanker.
Northrop’s Belote said the company is still working through the new requirements and will not make a decision this week whether it will remain in the competition.
