EVERETT — The Boeing Co.’s tanker will create 10 times as many U.S. jobs as its former competitor’s would have, according to a study paid for by Boeing.
The study, released Wednesday, by consulting firm Sonecon, LLC, was funded by Boeing before its rival, duo Northrop Grumman and EADS, withdrew from a $35 billion contest to supply the Air Force with aerial refueling tankers.
Boeing’s tanker, based on the Everett-built 767 jet, will create 62,606 to 70,706 jobs in the United States over the 20-year life of the contract, according to the study. The job figures in the report refer to direct positions only and do not include jobs created at suppliers or other indirect jobs.
About 12,000 of the jobs will be in Washington state, Boeing reports separately. Boeing also says that 70 suppliers here in the state will work on its KC-767 tanker.
“The great thing about our aerospace industrial base is that it translates into good jobs and long-term employment in Washington state and around the country,” said Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., in a statement.
The Northrop and EADS tanker, which would have been based on an Airbus A330 jet, would create only about 7,080 new jobs in this country, according to the study. The parent company of Airbus, EADS planned to have its and Northrop’s tanker assembled in Mobile, Ala. Leaders from European countries have voiced concerns over the fairness of the Air Force’s contest, after Northrop and EADS said the competition was slanted in Boeing’s favor.
Consulting firm Sonecon was co-founded by Robert J. Shapiro, who served as undersecretary of commerce during the Clinton administration. Shapiro, along with Aparna Mathur, wrote the report for Boeing.
Gov. Chris Gregoire sees the tanker contract as a way to put Americans — particularly residents in Washington state — back to work in a tough economic downturn.
“The economic benefits of building a U.S.-based tanker are significant — from hiring new workers, to creating new businesses to support those workers, to providing research and development that will lead us into the future,” Gregoire said, in a statement.
The Air Force hasn’t outlined how it will proceed with Boeing as the sole bidder for the tanker contract. But Pentagon officials, who have tried two previous times to award a tanker contract, have said they will go forward with the contract even with only one bidder.
Boeing is expected to submit its tanker bid by mid-May. Pentagon officials said Tuesday that they could speed up the process, given Northrop’s withdrawal from the contest.
“I urge the Pentagon to move expeditiously in awarding this contract and putting Americans back to work,” Gregoire said.
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