The Air Force is asking Boeing and EADS/Northrup Gruman for a range of options for aerial refueling tankers, including using used jets or private-sector contract refueling. This comes even through a Rand Corp. study last year specifically ruled out those options, saying they weren’t cost effective.
That’s got Congressman Norm Dicks (D-Sunset Beach) a bit hacked off, MarketWatch reports. http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?dist=newsfinder&siteid=google&guid=%7BF657E0CE-E704-4C42-8A26-1B3837D9D9EB%7D&keyword=
Key Quote: “‘All this studying, all this has been to placate one person. And we all know who that is,’ Dicks said at a press breakfast last week. ‘I hope he’s placated, because we need to move forward on this important program.’”
In case you hadn’t guessed, that one person is Sen. John McCain (R-Airbus, according to some Everett wags).
MarketWatch had more from Dicks in this story, http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?dist=newsfinder&siteid=google&guid=%7BA359B9BE-481D-4D02-9B6D-D1D60BA308BC%7D&keyword= which originally appeared on the Web site Friday.
Key Quote: “‘It’s hard for me to conceive that if Airbus doesn’t at least end launch aid for the future, that they can win this competition,’ Dicks said at a media roundtable sponsored by Defense Today and BAE Systems PLC, which owns 20% of Airbus.”
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