NG/EADS & Air Force Fighting Tanker “PR Protest”

By Jamie Burch

Northrop Grumman and the Air Force have asked the government to dismiss key pieces of what they call Boeing's public relations protest of the $40 billion tanker contract.

Published: Thu, March 27, 2008 - 9:51 am

WASHINGTON (AP) - Northrop Grumman Corp. and the Air Force have
filed separate motions to dismiss significant portions of Boeing
Co.'s protest of a $40 billion Air Force contract awarded to
Northrop and European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. last month.
Los Angeles-based Northrop says it has asked the Government
Accountability Office to dismiss key pieces of what it called
Boeing's "PR-plated" protest, which was filed on March 11th.
That announcement was soon followed by an Air Force statement
that it, too, has filed with the GAO for "partial summary
dismissal" of the protest filed by Chicago-based Boeing.
The GAO has 100 days from the date of Boeing's filing to issue a
decision on whether an Air Force contract for 179 aerial refueling
tankers stands.
Northrop argues in its filing that many of Boeing's claims to
the GAO come too late. Northrop says Boeing should have raised
these concerns with the Air Force before submitting its final
tanker proposal.
Northrop would assemble the tanker in a new plant in Mobile,
Alabama.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)