Will Tanker Land or Fly Away?

By Tiffany Craig Investigative Reporter

The Government Accountability Office has until Thursday to report back on the tanker contract. Will it stay or go? Will Tanker Land or Fly Away?

Published: Tue, June 17, 2008 - 6:05 pm

Tiffany Craig

We could know as early as Wednesday if the Air Force tanker deal will stay in Mobile.

In February, Northrop Grumman and EADS beat out Boeing to win a 40-billion dollar military contract to build the new fleet of air refuelers.

Northrop's new KC-45 tankers were all set to be assembled in Mobile but a stop work order was issued when Boeing filed a formal protest.

The contest was put in the hands of the Government Accountability Office. They are an investigative-type arm of Congress that puts the deal under the microscope to decide if it was fair.

They have 100 days to report back and the deadline is Thursday, June 19th.

Northrop and EADS officials are not expecting a slam dunk from this report.

EADS North America CEO Ralph Crosby was in Mobile on Tuesday and says he's not worried about minor flaws in the process. "The question is, are there some small things that they find that are not material? That is really the determinant. When you read the report, it will be clear that they made a good selection, best value and that will be the basis on which we proceed."

News 5's Tiffany Craig asked Crosby about the Air Force admitting a price miss-calculation of the two tankers. "This is a little bit like source selection. There are things leaking out the sides and you don't know what they mean. I'm kind of in the view that people who talk don't know and people that know, don't talk."

Crosby says the companies still plans to break ground at Brookley on June 28th.

A parade is also expected to roll through Downtown Mobile on Friday June 20th.