The contract of the “century”, as some want to call it, in which EADS and Northrop Grumman will produce 179 tankers for the U.S. Air Force, has not only been flowers and roses. The Pentagon’s decision of choosing an European consortium has produced severe rashes at Washington. The last one to complain has been Jim McNerney, Boeing’s CEO. According to the general opinion of the federal government and the American aircraft industry, the contract, worth 40 billion dollars, should have been assigned to a company from the U.S.
McNerney assured that their offer was much more capable to be performed, presented less risks and reduced cost. Boeing will appeal to the Congress of the U.S. because of some “irregularities” on the Pentagon’s decision.
Boeing’s complains are somehow understandable. This is not only one of the greatest contracts in the history of aircraft industry, including a significant amount of money, but it also positions EADS as the irrefutable leader of the worldwide aircraft industry. Boeing, Pentagon’s favorite until now, the contract is a severe disadvantage. After the competition between the european Airbus A380 and Boeing’s equivalent, the North American company is under serious problems.
Via | El País
