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Bad News For Gulf Coast: Tanker Contract To Boeing
February 24, 2011
The Air Force has awarded a $35 billion contract to build air tankers to Boeing — meaning that thousands of jobs will not be coming to Mobile and surrounding areas on the Gulf Coast.
“Sometimes you just do the best you can do,” Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley said Thursday afternoon.
The competition to build the tanker was between the European company EADS — which would have built the aircraft in Mobile — and Boeing of Chicago.
An EADS announcement would have meant thousands of jobs for the Gulf Coast, including tens of thousands of anticipated potential spinoff jobs in Pensacola and the North Escambia area
The first aircraft are expected to be delivered by 2017.
Comments
18 Responses to “Bad News For Gulf Coast: Tanker Contract To Boeing”
I am proud of The Boeing Company, a premium company that builds the best planes in the world. All Americans should demand that Americans build our military planes for the protection of our sons and daughters who are protecting us. What makes you think that Boeing–Huntsville, Alabama will not get some of this business?
The Air Force has been running with this battle for new tankers for the past 15 years. The last time I heard about a problem was when former contracting chief Darleen Druyun oversaw nearly every major weapons contract the Air Force awarded through the 1990s. She lost her $250,000-a-year job with Boeing last fall after questions arose about her hiring. By spring, she had pleaded guilty to secretly negotiating the Boeing job while still working for the Air Force. There is more informaiton found at http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1104/110504g1.htm), I agree, Boeing has never supplied any product (except re-badging the MD-90 to the 717) on time and on budget.
Besides that Obama – Chicago and Labor connection, I wonder which recently retired Air Force officer now has a new job at Boeing?
Keep drinking the kool aid Jim!!! You’re drunk with change and hope message!
We don’t need change-we need to get back to the basics of our Judeo-Christian roots!!
God Bless you however Jim!
Planes built in America by Alabamans would be the best darned planes on the planet!!!
It is amazing to see some of the statements made on this subject. What part of manufactoring is it you do not understand?? Please enlighten me. Boeing has been in the airplane business before any of us was born as a general rule. They already have the plant in place for the assemblies and the work force to do it who might I add are already building airplanes. They also have readily available the education base to supply the engineers of the future employees that are going to be needed. Chances are extremely high that the next time you get on a plane it will be made by boeing. Have you forgorgoten all the war birds thay have made? My My short lived memories. This I’m sure to some of you credit is deserved it probably did have to do with politics but on the other hand do you reall want another country in control of this kind of operation? Especially in time of war. I personally would have like to have been able to see the jobs in Alabama and Florida but I have to agree with the decision.
A quick check of Vince Kay-he’s connected and will stand to make big dollars $$$$! No one whining Vince!! I’m sure you are a liberal democrat in union as well! Take your comments to your Boeing friends………we don’t care what you think!!! Alabama has God, Family and Country and you have……..your change…you voted for!!!
How is it “Bad” that an American company got this contract over a French company?
I don’t understand how people can say this was a “political” decision. Sorry Alabama, I know it hurts not to get the jobs in your state. But quit whining. Boeing deserved this contract in all regards.
Do you not get it? This contract was bought and paid for. Boeings plane is a concept plane, never been built. They don’t know it will be more cost effective, that is a theory. Eads plane is already in production. Boeing hasn’t met a contract deadline in years with cost overruns and contract extensions we will be lucky to get the first tanker by 2100 (if we are still here) I knew all along that the contract would go to Boeing, but I had hoped that for a change a little fairness would creep in. Bidding contracts with the government is just a formality required by law, they know ahead of time who will win. I take exception to the Senators from the North and West who commented that now the tankers would be built in the US, if Alabama is not part of the US why do they keep taking Federal taxes out of my paycheck!
Perhaps there is a Union connection???? Unions give to Dems. Connecting the dots, folks.
1. Boeing employs over 50,000 Union members. EADS would have been non-union. The original bids were placed when the Republicans were in office (non-union supporters) and EADS won. Boeing whinned and the second bids were placed when the Denocrats are in office (big union supporters) and Boeing wins. If you think it’s a coincidence then you have a lot to learn about our govt.
2. EADS did have bigger and more expensive plane. The Airforce would have had to expand many runways to accomadate this plane. Boeing has an older plane that is already in production so therefore cheaper over the long haul.
You pick which one you think is the most logical explanation, #1 or #2.
What would you rather fly in, a Boeing or an EADS jet? You usually get what you pay for.
George said….george on February 24th, 2011 4:27 pm
no brainer, washington state, kansas, etc are democratic states. alabama, florida, mississippi vote republican. need i say more
Oh…fer cryin’ out loud. C’mon, george! Kansas a Democratic state?
You are embarrassing yourself.
It was going to be Boeing no matter what- millions paid by lobbyists over the years and who knows how much under the table and kick backs will be recieved-the crooks are running the country!! And the biggest Chicago thug is giving all the liberals the change they wanted- the damage he will do to this country will be irrepairable!! Help us God, the decisions he makes concerning Israel will seal the deal!!!
Boeing and Obama are from Chicago. coincidental? maybe
Although it hurts not getting those jobs in and around Escambia and Mobile counties it does make sense. Boeing has been doing it a lot of years and they know how to build an airplane for sure. I am with some of the others I’m just glad that the jobs stayed in America. Other than keeping Boeing honest I still don’t know why it was even a consideration for France to build it anyway. Amerian made for Americans that is the way it should be. Hopefully in the future this area will have a shot at building some other things. I certainly feel we have made our mark at this point.
While I am VERY disappointed for all those in my area who might have gotten jobs from this, I am glad the contract is going to a US company.
I know there were US jobs created either way, but the US airframe is better for the country.
I sure wish there were a solution that brought jobs to our area though.
Um, since when was Kansas a Democratic state?
How about that the award was given to the platform that met all the requirements and will have a lower TCO? Remember, one of the political facts of life is that Cost Rules, and the KC-767 will be less expensive to build and operate over the next 50 years.
This was the conclusion all along…just jumped through the hoops to make the Gulf Coast feel good…
no brainer, washington state, kansas, etc are democratic states. alabama, florida, mississippi vote republican. need i say more