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US Air Force to award $35 billion tanker contract
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Air Force is poised to award one of the biggest contracts in U.S. military history — a $35 billlion deal to build nearly 200 giant airborne refueling tankers. The rival companies . . . (flightaware.com) Más...I doubt if they have the ability to deliver on time and within budget.
Had not it been for the current dismal economic situation that is affecting the U.S. now you can bet that the awarding would have gone to the EADS Airbus 330 as the previous bidding process found it a much better plane. The Boeing product is good but not equal.
Definitely, the economy and politics played a huge roll in the decision. The A330 structure is a far superior craft.
There was a big stink the first time around with this. EADS originally was awarded the contract because they had the better plane, then the public got wind of it and threw a fit that a government contract went to a foreign supplier. Nonsense as that may be, there's an amusing punchline. EADS wanted to use GE as the engine supplier for their design. It still would have greatly benefited an American company had EADS won the bid.