Boeing: No to releasing tanker pricing to Northrop, EADS – report

Published 1:12 pm Friday, October 23, 2009

The Boeing Co. apparently refused to give the OK for the Pentagon to release its KC-767 pricing from the 2008 tanker contest to Northrop Grumman and EADS, reports Reuters.

As the Air Force prepared to start a new contest in September, it downplayed a complaint by Northrop that the agency had provided Boeing with its KC-30 pricing from last year.

To pacify Northrop and EADS, the Air Force requested Boeing’s approval for providing Northrop and EADS its KC-767 pricing from the last contest.

Boeing said no.

Yesterday, Reuters also published this report on early problems that have surfaced with the Air Force’s new contest.

Boeing’s tanker spokesman, Bill Barksdale, responded this morning to the Reuters’ report on the company’s tanker Web site.

The Air Force is on its third attempt to replace its aging KC-135 tanker fleet. Its 2008 award to Northrop was halted after government auditors, working at Boeing’s request, found significant flaws in the competition.

The Air Force is hoping to announce a winner next summer for roughly $35 billion contract.