Takes Flight
30 June 2008
Alabama Congressman Bonner's Eloquent Arguments
Alabama Congressman Jo Bonner assessed the state of play in the ongoing battle over the next generation of aerial refueling tanker for our men and women in uniform. In a statement released from his office, Congressman Bonner is critical of attempts by his colleague to steer the contract toward Boeing in what would amount to a $35 billion earmark. He firmly points out that America's New Tanker is needed now and only Northrop Grumman is ready now to provide it.
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18 June 2008
Boeing Overstepping Bounds with Air Force
For months, Boeing has been questioning the integrity of the Air Force by alleging that the Air Force tilted the contracting process for America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers to favor Northrop Grumman. And Boeing has protested the Air Force decision to the Government Accountability Office, which is expected to rule by tomorrow on Boeing's protest.
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17 June 2008
Defense Department Spokesman Comments on Boeing Protest
Today, Defense Department spokesman Geoff Morrell was asked at the daily Pentagon press briefing about Boeing's protest of Northrop Grumman's contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers. We attach below, from the Pentagon's transcript of the news conference, Morrell's remarks on the impact Boeing's protest is having on the Air Force.
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17 June 2008
Boeing's Protest Troubles Air Force Mobility Command Director
Boeing's protest of Northrop Grumman's Air Force contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers has caused a further delay in constructing the Air Force's number-one acquisition priority - and Aerospace Daily and Defense Report is noting that this dilemma is increasingly troubling to the Air Force's Air Mobility Command director.
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12 June 2008
Boeing Risks "Enmity of Its Largest Customer"
Various media - including Bloomberg, the Seattle Times, and the Pensacola News-Journal - are all reporting today on the risks Boeing will face if the Government Accountability Office rejects its protest of Northrop Grumman's contract to build America's next generation of refueling tankers - and Boeing makes an appeal to the Federal Court of Claims.
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11 June 2008
Northrop Grumman Response to GAO Report
As followers of the ongoing tanker protest before the Government Accountability Office know, the filings in that protest have been voluminous. Many documents filed some time ago have not been available for public consumption because they, first, had to be redacted to remove commercially sensitive material.
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10 June 2008
Boeing's Backers Criticized by Members of Congress
Today in The Hill, Senators Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions and Representative Jo Bonner criticize efforts by Boeing's backers in Congress who are mischaracterizing Northrop Grumman's Air Force contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
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10 June 2008
Northrop Grumman Briefing Changes Connecticut Lawmakers' Positions
The Stamford Advocate is reporting today a change of heart for Connecticut lawmakers who sent a letter to President George W. Bush objecting to Northrop Grumman's contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
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05 June 2008
Northrop Grumman Contract Will Boost Southern Mississippi Economy
The Mississippi Press is reporting this morning that Northrop Grumman's contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers will provide a big economic boost to southern Mississippi, which is still recovering from the ravages of Hurricane Katrina.
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04 June 2008
Media Reiterate Lockheed Martin CEO Comments
Lockheed Martin CEO Bob Stevens' comments, critical of Boeing's protest of Northrop Grumman's contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers, have continued to reverberate. Agence France-Press, Bloomberg, the Mobile Press-Register and noted aviation analyst Scott Hamilton all picked up on Stevens' comments, made yesterday at a defense industry conference in Brussels.
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03 June 2008
Lockheed Supports Air Force Selection of Northrop Grumman
CNBC posted a message on its Web site, "Lockheed Supports Tanker Decision," reporting on a speech given by Lockheed Martin CEO Bob Stevens.
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30 May 2008
Rally Celebrates Northrop Grumman's Florida Job Creation
Media in Florida are reporting on a rally yesterday at an airport hangar in Melbourne, where more than 1,100 aerospace workers rallied to celebrate the work that Northrop Grumman's KC-45 tanker contract will generate in the area.
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29 May 2008
Industry Analyst Scott Hamilton Tears Into False "White Paper"
As we noted earlier today in "Tanker Truths," the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers has published a "White Paper" that repeats false claims and misstatements about Northrop Grumman's KC-45 tanker being propagated by losing bidder Boeing and its backers.
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27 May 2008
Boeing's Loss of International Tanker Market
Aviation Week is reporting that Northrop Grumman's win of the Air Force contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers "effectively puts Boeing out of the international tanker market."
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23 May 2008
Op-Ed by Dr. Ronald D. Sugar in Los Angeles Times
Today's Los Angeles Times publishes an op-ed written by Dr. Ronald D. Sugar, chairman and chief executive officer of Northrop Grumman Corporation. The op-ed, headlined "The best tanker won" highlights the facts surrounding the United States Air Force selection of Northrop Grumman to provide America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers, while debunking much of the misinformation that has been spread by supporters of the losing bidder in the competition.
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21 May 2008
Boeing's Efforts Have Fizzled, For Now
Congressional Quarterly is reporting that efforts by Boeing to get Congress to overturn Northrop Grumman's contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers have fizzled, at least for now.
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21 May 2008
Forbes Unravels Boeing Arguments
Forbes is unraveling the arguments made by Boeing and its backers that Northrop Grumman should be deprived of the Air Force contract it won to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
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20 May 2008
Second KC-45 Airframe Completes Final Flight Check
The Mobile Press-Register is reporting that Northrop Grumman has reached another milestone in its contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers for the U.S. Air Force.
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19 May 2008
Boeing "Contradicting Itself and Undermining its Own Arguments"
The Mobile Press Register notes that Boeing's battle to take away the contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers that Northrop Grumman won fair and square is resulting in Boeing "contradicting itself and undermining its own arguments."
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14 May 2008
Northrop Grumman Sets Date for Ground-breaking in Mobile, Alabama
The Birmingham Business Journal, the Mobile Press-Register and the Birmingham News are reporting that Northrop Grumman has set a ground-breaking date of June 28 for a facility in Mobile, Alabama, where America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers will be assembled.
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13 May 2008
How Many Jobs Will Be Supported By Northrop Grumman Contract?
The Puget Sound Business Journal highlights questions about how many jobs will be supported by Northrop Grumman's contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
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12 May 2008
Northrop Grumman's Win Noted By Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Northrop Grumman workers and local elected officials held a rally at Northrop Grumman's production facility in El Segundo, California to celebrate Northrop Grumman's contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
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08 May 2008
Northrop Grumman Contract Funding Clears Another Hurdle
Reuters is reporting that funding for Northrop Grumman's contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers has cleared another procedural hurdle in Congress.
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06 May 2008
Defense Daily: Overturn of Northrop Grumman Contract Would Be a Disaster
Defense Daily is reporting that European defense experts believe overturning Northrop Grumman's contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers would be a disaster for U.S-European relations, as the CEO of losing tanker bidder Boeing - whose backers have complained that foreign companies should have no part of the tanker contract - is defending outsourcing work for Boeing's commercial airline fleet.
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05 May 2008
Northrop Grumman Contract Centerpiece of Gulf Coast Economic Development Plan
The Pensacola News-Journal is reporting today on the Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor, an ambitious economic development plan for Alabama, Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle, the centerpiece of which is Northrop Grumman's Air Force contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
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02 May 2008
Boeing's Efforts Against Northrop Grumman Stoking Anti-American Sentiment Abroad
Government Executive magazine is warning that Boeing's efforts to overturn Northrop Grumman's Air Force contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers could have profound and far-reaching negative consequences for all defense contractors–including Boeing.
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01 May 2008
Alabama Governor Urges House Speaker Pelosi To Honor Air Force Decision
The Mobile Press-Register is reporting today that Alabama Governor Bob Riley is signing a resolution urging U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to honor the Air Force's decision to award Northrop Grumman a contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
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30 Apr 2008
Poland Minister Warns of Possible Protectionism in Other Nations
Reuters reports that Poland's deputy prime minister is saying that Boeing's effort to overturn Northrop Grumman's contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers could backfire on the entire American defense industry by prompting protectionist measures by other nations.
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29 Apr 2008
Boeing CEO: "We're Going To Avoid Any Needless Sharp Elbows"
Bloomberg and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer are reporting that Boeing's CEO says that from now on, his company will avoid throwing "sharp elbows" as it conducts its protest of Northrop Grumman's win of an Air Force contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
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28 Apr 2008
"Boeing and the Air Force at War: The Damage Spreads"
Respected defense policy analyst Loren Thompson has published an issue brief entitled, "Boeing and the Air Force at War: The Damage Spreads".
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28 Apr 2008
Boeing's Congressional Backers Strategize To Reverse Northrop Grumman Win
Congressional Quarterly is reporting on a variety of legislative strategies Boeing and its backers in Congress are considering using to take away the contract Northrop Grumman won from the Air Force to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
full article >
25 Apr 2008
Congressman Bonner's Letter to Fellow Representatives
Alabama Congressman Joe Bonner recently distributed a "Dear Colleague" letter to his fellow members of the House of Representatives concerning America's New Tanker and his concerns over efforts to overturn the Air Force decision to award the tanker contract to Northrop Grumman.
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25 Apr 2008
Boeing Prepared To Spend $250 Million To Overturn Contract
National Journal is reporting today that Boeing is prepared to spend $250 million to overturn Northrop Grumman's contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
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23 Apr 2008
Gates and McCain: "Contract With Northrop Grumman-EADS Should Not Be Delayed"
The Mobile Press-Register this morning is pointing to recent comments by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain in saying "construction of the KC-45A aerial refueling tanker for the Air Force should go forward quickly."
full article >
22 Apr 2008
Air Force Calls Meeting with CEOs of Northrop Grumman and Boeing
The Air Force, concerned about the tone of the debate over Northrop Grumman's win of a contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers, called a meeting last Friday with the CEOs of Northrop Grumman and Boeing to talk about the issue.
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21 Apr 2008
Defense Secretary Gates Calls Possible Delays a "Real Shame"
Defense Secretary Robert Gates today said it would be a "real shame" if Boeing's protest of Northrop Grumman's winning bid to construct America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers leads to a delay in the program.
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21 Apr 2008
Pentagon Official Warns Congress Not to Interfere with Air Force Decision
Boeing's defenders in Congress say they're willing to overrule the Air Force and kill funding for Northrop Grumman's winning bid to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers — just because Boeing lost. The Defense Department's current and former top acquisition officials say, "Not so fast."
full article >
17 Apr 2008
Air Force Asking GAO to Dismiss Boeing's Protest "In Its Entirety"
The Air Force is asking the Government Accountability Office to dismiss in its entirety Boeing's protest of its decision to pick Northrop Grumman to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers, saying that it correctly decided Northrop Grumman had the superior bid. A growing number of America's leading newspapers agree.
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16 Apr 2008
Noted Aviation Industry Analyst Calles Boeing's Protest "Stunning"
A noted aviation industry analyst has studied Boeing's protest of Northrop Grumman's win of an Air Force contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers, and he makes clear that "observers have been stunned by the ferocity of the rhetoric" Boeing is employing.
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14 Apr 2008
Cincinnati Enquirer: Northrop Grumman's Win Means Jobs for Ohio
The Cincinnati Enquirer writes that Northrop Grumman's winning bid over Boeing to construct America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers means jobs for Ohio.
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11 Apr 2008
"All Things Considered" Highlights Northrop Grumman's American Job Creation
National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" carried a story that highlights the American job creation that comes with Northrop Grumman's win of an Air Force contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
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10 Apr 2008
U.S. Air Force Mobility Commander Says Delay Caused by Boeing Protest
"Single Point of Failure" for Air Force and Its Wartime Mission
The Grand Forks Herald is reporting today that the commander of the U.S. Air Force Mobility Command is anxious to see construction begin on the next generation of aerial refueling tankers — a contract Northrop Grumman won that is now delayed because of a Boeing protest.
full article >
09 Apr 2008
Air Force Association defends U.S. Air Force selection of Northrop Grumman
The Mobile Press-Register is reporting that the Air Force Association, "an influential trade group with close ties to the military," is defending the decision by the U.S. Air Force to pick Northrop Grumman to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
full article >
08 Apr 2008
Air Force Secretary Wynne disputes Boeing's claims
Boeing has based its entire challenge to Northrop Grumman's win to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers on the premise that the Air Force bidding process wasn't conducted properly.
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07 Apr 2008
Newsday criticizes Boeing for resorting to misplaced nationalism
Today, Newsday publishes a column criticizing Boeing for resorting to misplaced nationalism in challenging Northrop Grumman's win to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
full article >
04 Apr 2008
DefenseTech.org conclusion: Air Force right in choosing Northrop Grumman
Over at DefenseTech.org, analyst Norman Polmar takes a look at Northrop Grumman's win of the Air Force contract to build a new generation of aerial refueling tankers — and concludes the Air Force was right.
full article >
02 Apr 2008
Retired Air Force generals back Northrop Grumman
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer writes that 22 retired Air Force generals are backing Northrop Grumman's win of the contract to build new aerial refueling tankers for the Air Force, and the paper notes the generals, in an open letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, are asking Gates to "stand up and defend" the Air Force against attacks by Boeing against the Air Force.
full article >
01 Apr 2008
Retired Air Force generals urge Gates to defend the Air Force's selection
The Mobile Press-Register is reporting today that a group of 22 retired Air Force generals on Monday "urged Defense Secretary Robert Gates to defend the Air Force's selection of a new aerial refueling tanker against 'scurrilous and politically motivated attacks' by the losing bidder."
full article >
31 Mar 2008
Watchdog groups reiterate support for fair and open contracting process
This afternoon, Citizens Against Government Waste and the nation's other top taxpayer and budget watchdog groups, who represent millions of taxpayers, joined together to reiterate their support for making sure that the Defense Department contracting process remains fair and open, and to express their backing of the Air Force decision that resulted in Northrop Grumman's win of the contract to build the next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
full article >
31 Mar 2008
Retired Air Force generals criticize Boeing
A pair of retired Air Force generals are criticizing Boeing this morning over its decision to challenge Northrop Grumman's win of the Air Force contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers, saying Boeing is wrong on the facts, and is both maligning the Air Force and engaging in protectionism and xenophobia in pushing its misinformation.
full article >
28 Mar 2008
Various news outlets report on U.S. Air Force's confidence in Northrop Grumman
As various news outlets have reported, one of the reasons Northrop Grumman won a contract to build 179 new aerial refueling tankers for the U.S. Air Force is because the Air Force expressed greater confidence in Northrop Grumman's ability to deliver the aircraft on time and on budget than it did Boeing's ability to do the same.
full article >
27 Mar 2008
U.S. Air Force files motion with GAO to dismiss portions of Boeing's complaint
The U.S. Air Force has filed a motion with the Government Accountability Office, asking the GAO to dismiss key portions of Boeing's complaint that asks the GAO to overturn Northrop Grumman's win of an Air Force contract to build America's next generation of aerial tankers.
full article >
26 Mar 2008
Northrop Grumman's win means American jobs, reported by The Oklahoman
Northrop Grumman's win of the Air Force contract to build the new generation of aerial refueling tankers for the U.S. Air Force means jobs here in America - the contract will support 48,000 new jobs through 230 U.S. suppliers in 49 states. The Oklahoman reports on what the contract means at the local level, where Washington statistics and terminology are mere abstractions.
full article >
25 Mar 2008
Reuters refutes Boeing's false statements
Reuters this morning, citing Air Force documents, is refuting one of Boeing's major false statements about Northrop Grumman's win of an Air Force contract to construct America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
full article >
24 Mar 2008
Seattle Post-Intelliger reports Boeing faces long odds to overturn winning bid
On Sunday, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that Boeing faces extremely long odds in persuading the Government Accountability Office to overturn Northrop Grumman's winning bid to construct the next generation of aerial refueling tankers for the U.S. Air Force.
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21 Mar 2008
Bloomberg analysis finds Nortrop Grumman's win fair
Bloomberg is the latest media outlet to analyze how Northrop Grumman won an Air Force contract to build the nation's next generation of aerial refueling tankers, reporting that Northrop Grumman won because it could accomplish the Air Force's mission with fewer aircraft and could construct them faster.
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20 Mar 2008
Northrop Grumman's tanker judged 'advantageous' by Air Force
This morning, Reuters writes about its review of Air Force records regarding last month's winning bid by Northrop Grumman to build the next generation of aerial refueling tankers and highlights the Air Force's conclusion that Northrop Grumman won the bidding fair and square.
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