Yeah, I know it's a nightmare. Yeah, I know there has been controversy, bribes, kickbacks, all that bs.
Still. It's a $140 BILLION contract for new aerial refueling tankers. Some of our KC-135's are over 50 years old.
The choices are Airbus or Boeing. Period.
So STFU and award the contract to Boeing. Jesus, this is not a hard decision.
H/T Flightblogger
I stole the pic from his web site.
UPDATE: The Air Farce awarded the contract to EADS/Airbus. Sure, they're trying to make it look patriotic by using Northrop as a front. But if this was being investigated by the FEC, they'd make Northrop give the money back.
I'm a free market kinda guy. I always argued against protectionism in the auto industry when the Japanese were kicking Detroit's butt. However, this is a national defense issue. As one blogger noted, what happens if a supplier to EADS decides it doesn't like the US position and stops shipping some vital part? We're screwed, is what happens.
We sure as hell wouldn't outsource JDAM production; why would we put our tanker fleet at risk?
This is what happens when you let the junior service make decisions. Good thing my dad's no longer with us; he'd mail his wings to the Sec of the AF. Pretty funny, though: the Air Force gets a West Pointer at it's helm (how's that for mixed metaphors?).
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