Alliance Formed to Land Tanker

Florida Alabama Four state alliance formed to promote Gulf Coast as aerospace corridor.

by Bill Riales

Published: Mon, October 26, 2009 - 7:33 pm CST

BAY MINETTE, Alabama - They came from four states, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana. Private and elected citizens who all have an interest in seeing the KC-45 tanker land in Mobile. While the greater goal of the newly formed Aerospace Alliance is to promote the gulf coast as one of the leading aerospace corridors in the world, its first mission is the land the tanker.

Alabama Governor Bob Riley told the crowd gathered at Faulkner State Community College in Bay Minette, "It's up to us to make them understand that there is an aerospace corridor here that will rival any one you will find anywhere in the world."

"In the very near future you're going to start to hear more from the Congressional Delegation as well as the Governor on this," says Sam Adcock of EADS.

Unlike the last go-round, where Boeing and supporters seemed to dominate the media by shouting about the deficiencies of Alabama's workforce, the Governor promises this time will be different.

"And if it's going to be just strictly based on politics, then we need to get involved," said Riley.

"We just want to make sure that they don't take for granted in thinking that because we're so gentlemanly and southern in our hospitality that they can take advantage of us politically," added Adcock.

When the tanker contract award to Northrop/EADS was disputed last year, the General Accounting Office made a few recommendations about the process. But the Defense Department instead revamped the entire process and re-issued a request for proposal, leaving a lot more work ahead for the company.

"We're providing comments to the defense department to shape the RFP to provide a good a product as possible that provides for a level playing field," says Northrop's Mitch Waldman.

"When and if the tanker contract is awarded to Northrup Grumman and EADS, ground zero for all that manufacturing activity will at Brookley Field. But it may well be next summer before a decision is made.

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