Takes Flight
10 Apr 2008
U.S. Air Force Mobility Commander Says Delay Caused by Boeing Protest
"Single Point of Failure" for Air Force and Its Wartime Mission
The Grand Forks Herald is reporting today that the commander of the U.S. Air Force Mobility Command is anxious to see construction begin on the next generation of aerial refueling tankers — a contract Northrop Grumman won that is now delayed because of a Boeing protest.
The Herald reports that General Arthur Lichte says the delay in getting the new aircraft built and into operation is "the single point of failure" for the Air Force and its wartime mission.
According to the newspaper, Lichte pointed out that time is of the essence, because the current fleet of refueling tankers average nearly 50 years in age.
"It's critical that we start with that now," Lichte told the newspaper. "For me, it's a national security issue."
The Northrop Grumman contract will support 48,000 American jobs, split between the company and 230 suppliers in 49 states. Lichte noted that because the Air Force will acquire between 12 and 15 new tankers a year, it will take nearly 30 years to fulfill the goal of constructing 179 new tankers.
The newspaper notes that the process has been held up since late February when the Air Force awarded a $40 billion contract to build the tankers to Northrop Grumman Corp. Boeing, which had anticipated securing the contract, filed a protest soon after. The Government Accountability Office has until June 19 to decide on the merits of Boeing's complaint.
To read the entire article, go to:
http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=73140§ion=
homepage%20&freebie_check&CFID=24681493&CFTOKEN=13382954&jsessionid=
88305649edc07b4d4506
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