Tanker Contest Could Lead To Air Force Changes
By
Northrop Grumman
Published: Mon, March 10, 2008 - 10:59 am
Northrop Grumman, a Los Angeles-based company with over 120,000 employees, is the KC-45A tanker prime contractor
* A contract between the U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman
Corporation for the Northrop Grumman KC-45A was signed on Feb.
29, 2008.
* Northrop Grumman KC-45A primary subcontractors include EADS-North
America, General Electric, Honeywell, AAR Cargo Systems, Sargent
Fletcher, Knight Aerospace Products, Parker and Telephonics.
Jobs
* The Northrop Grumman KC-45A U.S. supplier base includes 230
companies in 49 states.
* The Northrop Grumman KC-45A tanker will support more than 25,000
direct and indirect jobs in the United States -- a conservative
estimate based upon the U.S. Department of Commerce aerospace
industry jobs projection formula.
* Using more recent data from our suppliers and applying the Labor
Department's formula for projecting aerospace jobs at the state
and regional level, the KC-45A will employ approximately 48,000
direct and indirect jobs nationwide.
* Assembly and militarization of the Northrop Grumman KC-45A tanker
will take place in Mobile, Ala., resulting in the creation of
1,500 jobs in the United States.
* Job creation was not a part of the evaluation criteria, in
accordance with federal law.
* The Northrop Grumman KC-45A tanker program does not transfer any
jobs from the United States to France or any other foreign
country.
Repayable Loans / WTO Dispute Issue
* The U.S. Department of Defense ruled that the disputes involving
Boeing and Airbus currently being adjudicated by the World Trade
Organization were not relevant to the U.S. Air Force's KC-X
Tanker competition.
Acquisition Process
* The KC-45A competition underwent the most rigorous, fair and
transparent acquisition process in Defense Department history.
* Throughout the process, both competitors in the KC-45A
acquisition hailed the Air Force for conducting a fair and open
competition.
* The size of the proposed tanker aircraft was not dictated by the
Air Force nor was size an established criteria -- each contractor
was free to propose the best solution and platform to meet Air
Force warfighter requirements.
* Both contractors had ample opportunity in the protracted
acquisition and source selection process to propose the best
aerial refueling capability to meet the warfighter's
requirements.
Reduced Risk to the Government
* The first Northrop Grumman KC-45A tanker aircraft was built in
July 2007 and flown in September 2007.
* The Northrop Grumman KC-45A Aerial Refueling Boom System has
completed 73 test flights totaling more than 200 flight hours.
The boom completed the first in-flight fuel transfer on Feb. 29,
2008 passing 2,000 pounds of fuel to a Portuguese Air Force F-16
combat aircraft.
* The Northrop Grumman KC-45A is based upon the Royal Australian
Air Force KC-30B Multirole Tanker -- which has been built, flown,
and is undergoing flight tests. It will be delivered on schedule
to the Royal Australian Air Force in early 2009.
* Boeing's proposed KC-767AT tanker and refueling boom were never
built, flown or tested.
Industrial Base
* The Northrop Grumman KC-45A tanker program will create a new
aerospace manufacturing corridor in the southeastern United
States.
* The KC-45A program helps return competitiveness to the U.S.
aerospace industry.
Foreign Content
* All modern jetliners are built from a global supplier base, and
the two entrants in the KC-45A competition are no exception.
* Boeing's proposed tanker includes parts manufactured in Japan,
United Kingdom, Canada and Italy.
* Northrop Grumman tanker includes parts built in the United
Kingdom, Germany, Spain and France -- countries exempt under the
Buy America Law.
* The Northrop Grumman KC-45A will include approximately 60 percent
U.S. content. It is America's tanker.
Foreign Suppliers to U.S. Military Programs
* There are numerous examples of transatlantic cooperation on vital
U.S. military programs. Foreign suppliers currently play
essential roles in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the VH-71
Presidential Helicopter and the C-27J Joint Cargo Aircraft
program.
* No sensitive military technology will be exported to Europe. For
the KC-45A program, a commercial A330 jetliner will be assembled
by American workers in EADS's facility in Mobile. The aircraft
will then undergo military conversion in an adjacent Northrop
Grumman facility. All of the KC-45A's critical military
technology will be added by an American company, Northrop
Grumman, in America, in Mobile, Ala.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $32 billion global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.
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Did AF brat say he has ties to the military.... or to the AF? 
What has that got to do with the price of tea in China?
You would rather taxpayers funnel their money through Boeing with sole-source contracts so that Boeing can redistribute those dollars across Europe and Asia?
The selection group followed the letter of the law when making their selection. Unlike you, they were not allowed to let emotional tirades enter into that decision making process.