USAF awards $35B defense contract to Northrup/Airbus

[jimntx]

It's nice they are employing people in Alamba but I believe a majority of plane will be built in Europe. Hence, dollars going out of our country. I think the plant in Alabama will be just retrofitting an A330 built in France.

I would have no problem with Northrup building the plane if they built it all here by Northrup only or Lockheed or anybody American.

If EADS does make this plane it will take years to finish testing before delivery. Boeing has a 767 tanker now.

Would you have the same problem if Boeing had won a contract to build an airplane for the German or French air forces with the a/c to be built substantially in Everett, but completed in Hamburg or Lyon?

Also, do we know for sure that the current Boeing tanker has not had performance problems? It is rare for the U.S. military to go with a non-U.S. supplier.

 

[777 fixer]

Here is a simple fact, Boeing has no one to blame but them selves for this. First they offered the wrong aircraft as a tanker and then one of their top executives decided to partake in illegal activities. The kind of activities that landed him in jail along with the DOD official he was conspiring with over the tanker deal. If they had done it right in the first place they would have gotten the contract.

 

[777 fixer]

What's the big deal USAF...I mean, even if the jobs stayed here, they'd go to the 25 MILLION illegal aliens imported for "jobs Americans won't do" BS.

Oh please, this is not some unskilled job we are talking about here. Number one since it's a DOD contract anyone who applies is going to have to go through a DOD background check. They tend to be a little more thorough than you average background check. Number two they are probably going to want people who have experience in aircraft manufacturing. I wonder how many come across the border have that. And as a lot of people like to point out quite a few of these illegals have either limited or non-existant English language skills.

 

[Dan Webb]

A short time back, I believe that I read that...johnny Mac was bragging that he cast a critical "non-pork" vote against the Boeing deal.

It's NOT like JMc was going to carry Washington state anyway, BUT now the Wa. state Dem. party will show on local TV, JMc on the floor of the senate "pontificating" !

As it is, JMc is gonna need DIVINE HELP."carrying the water for the GOP", water SEVERELY TAINTED by EL-CHIMPO :blink:

And then the McCain campaign can say how he "fought corruption"...it goes both ways.

Don't count out McCain that quickly. The conservative faction of the party (read: Romney supporters) is realizing that while they don't like McCain, he's the best chance of a conservative in office.

It comes down to who wins the Democratic nomination. Right now McCain would fair better against Hillary than Obama. (Independents tend to like Obama the most, followed by McCain and Hillary.) But these trends can change once debate season hits.

More importantly, McCain can now begin campaigning to the whole nation, not just Republican primary votes, whereas Hillary and Obama still have to focus on their party. McCain has at least a month of semi-unopposed campaigning ahead of him as Pennsylvania doesn't vote until April 22.

Also, do we know for sure that the current Boeing tanker has not had performance problems? It is rare for the U.S. military to go with a non-U.S. supplier.

I don't know about performance issues, but I believe the A330 version has more capacity, which USAF found attractive.

 

[Seatacus]

Would you have the same problem if Boeing had won a contract to build an airplane for the German or French air forces with the a/c to be built substantially in Everett, but completed in Hamburg or Lyon?

Also, do we know for sure that the current Boeing tanker has not had performance problems? It is rare for the U.S. military to go with a non-U.S. supplier.

No I would not mind if the a/c was built substatially here and finished elsewhere. Most likely a bulk of the profits would be staying in the USA and may help with the trade defecit. The Germans and the French may not like it. They may even feel like many Americans do having someone else supply their military.

For your information, in February Boeing delivered a KC-767 tanker to the Japanese Air Force.

 

[jimntx]

For your information, in February Boeing delivered a KC-767 tanker to the Japanese Air Force.

That is not proof that it is a superior a/c for the defined mission.

 

[Seatacus]

That is not proof that it is a superior a/c for the defined mission.

You are correct. It is proof that there is a tanker already built and flying. EADS most likely has theirs still on the drawing board. Which means there could be years before it is proven to be superior, if that.

 

[LGA Fleet Service]

For your information, in February Boeing delivered a KC-767 tanker to the Japanese Air Force.

Do you know how far behind schedule the delivery of that solitary tanker was? A year!

Bottom line, Boeing sat on their hands figuring they had the contract in the bag,offered outdated technology in the 767-200 and now it's bit them squarely in the @ss and they're looking to the politicians to put pressure on the Air Force.

 

[Dan Webb]

You are correct. It is proof that there is a tanker already built and flying. EADS most likely has theirs still on the drawing board. Which means there could be years before it is proven to be superior, if that.

Still on the drawing board?

http://www.defence.gov.au/Raaf/aircraft/kc30b.htm

The A330 MRTT will enter services with the Aussies next year.

Not the exact aircraft USAF will be getting (Northrop will be making changes obviously) but very very close to it.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

Dan Webb,

I DON'T count out McC (yet), and depending how long this mess is dragged out between HC/BO, I may never count him out !

I actually respect him as a MAN, something thats Impossible to do with that RETARD at "1600" now, I just don't agree with 90% of johnny Mac's politics !

 

[USAir757]

I actually respect him as a MAN, something thats Impossible to do with that RETARD at "1600" now, I just don't agree with 90% of johnny Mac's politics !

Bears,

First of all, regardless of topic, you've made it quite clear with just about every single post of yours that you do not like the president. That's fine, you're entitled to your opinion, even if you chose to express it like with childish and sophomoric terms like "El-Chimpo". But when you chose to use words like "Retard", you are offending me (and I imagine others) beyond your entitlement. You should feel lucky that you hide behind the anonymity of your screenname when using this language. If I heard you said it in a bar, I wouldn't be this nice.

 

[USAir757]

Bottom line, Boeing sat on their hands figuring they had the contract in the bag,offered outdated technology in the 767-200 and now it's bit them squarely in the @ss and they're looking to the politicians to put pressure on the Air Force.

Can you blame them? Perhaps they gave the United States too much credit, and figured that they would have a sense of decency to put Americans to work instead of sending it overseas. One of the competitive advantages Boeing has over EADS is a much louder voice in Washington, so it's only natural that they'd use it!

 

[tech2101]

Can you blame them? Perhaps they gave the United States too much credit, and figured that they would have a sense of decency to put Americans to work instead of sending it overseas. One of the competitive advantages Boeing has over EADS is a much louder voice in Washington, so it's only natural that they'd use it!

Globalization. The world is flat. No matter how much we disagree or agree with it, it is here.

 

[UAL_TECH]

Globalization. The world is flat. No matter how much we disagree or agree with it, it is here.

Quite true, the world is flat.

Being a red blooded patriotic Merican, I would tend to be prejudiced for Boeing.
Truth is, there are numerous variances to the contracts that even if Boeing is selected, it may be that Airbus (EADS) would provide greater Merican job opportunities, taxes and opportunities for Merican suppliers.

I simply do no know.

I would appreciate a valid comparison if it is even available to the public.

I do know that even with Boeing, a lot of work is outsourced overseas along with the building of structures and components.

Even ‘so called’ Merican suppliers outsource much of their work overseas so that may be a wash as well.

I still remember the Halliburton fiasco were this ‘single source’ entity that was ‘supposedly’ a Merican business contracted most of the work to overseas businesses and suppliers. Then, while still on the Merican Teat, moved their headquarters to Dubai without as much as a whimper by my countrymen, the media, US Senate, Congress, Tricky Dick, or Bush. :down:

Hang on, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

JMHO,
B) UT

 

[777 fixer]

Globalization. The world is flat. No matter how much we disagree or agree with it, it is here.

Yes it is. What a lot of people forget is all of the US built equipment bought by European countires over th years. Look at all the European air forces that fly the F-16 and F-18. A lot of these countries are lining up to buy the F-35. Even the French have US built equipment like the E-2C Hawkeye.