AFP - European aerospace giant EADS may submit a new offer to supply the US air force with tanker jets if revised Pentagon tender rules give it a fair chance of success, the firm said Friday. Last week, EADS angrily pulled out of the race for the 35-billion-dollar (26-billion-euro) contract to supply 179 tanker planes, alleging the Pentagon had skewed its requirements to favour its US rival Boeing. The decision triggered a diplomatic storm, with European officials accusing the United States of protectionism. The Defence Department said Thursday that it might extend the deadline for bids to allow a revised EADS offer.
Last week, EADS angrily pulled out of the race for the 35-billion-dollar (26-billion-euro) contract to supply 179 tanker planes, alleging the Pentagon had skewed its requirements to favour its US rival Boeing.
The decision triggered a diplomatic storm, with European officials accusing the United States of protectionism. The Defence Department said Thursday that it might extend the deadline for bids to allow a revised EADS offer.
Russian Firm to Bid on Air Force Tanker Program In another twist to the ongoing saga to replace the Air Force's aging fleet of aerial refueling tankers, United Aircraft Corp. of Russia is planning to bid on the $40 billion contract, according to a person familiar with its plans. United Aircraft, an aerospace consortium owned by the Russian government, will seek to offer a tanker version of its Ilyushin Il-96 wide-body jetliner, dubbed the Il-98, this person said. The planes would be largely built in Russia, and assembled in the U.S., this person says. United Aircraft will partner with a "small U.S. defense contractor," which will be renamed United Aircraft Corp. America Inc., this person said, declining to name that contractor.
In another twist to the ongoing saga to replace the Air Force's aging fleet of aerial refueling tankers, United Aircraft Corp. of Russia is planning to bid on the $40 billion contract, according to a person familiar with its plans.
United Aircraft, an aerospace consortium owned by the Russian government, will seek to offer a tanker version of its Ilyushin Il-96 wide-body jetliner, dubbed the Il-98, this person said. The planes would be largely built in Russia, and assembled in the U.S., this person says. United Aircraft will partner with a "small U.S. defense contractor," which will be renamed United Aircraft Corp. America Inc., this person said, declining to name that contractor.
This is becoming fascinating... All this proves is that the Boeing planes are really so crap that the foreign alternatives stay in the picture despite being foreign... Wind power
