There is a big controversy brewing currently about the new Tanker that the Defense Department and the Air Force have selected to be the next generation of Military Tanker. The Northrop Grumman and European Aeronautic Defense group won the contract, to build 179 aerial refueling tankers. Many people are upset, and rightfully so I think. Whats the big deal? Well, the company who won is basically Airbus, a competitor with Boeing Corporation. The new Air Force Contract is one that gives a 30-year lease on life to a main competitor of Boeing. I believe in good old American inspired competition, but there is something flawed with the current situation that might not first meet the eye. And as I explain, please don’t throw things at me for sounding patriotic, conservative and perhaps a little paranoid.
Airbus has its roots in European Aviation, and it is a company that was sponsored, financed and ran by the joint efforts of Germany, Britain, France and Spain. It sold over 700 planes in its first 25 years in existence, but never made a single dime in profit. It is a company that literally was started by a neo-socialist group of governments, and would not exist except for the money these governments poured into it. So, as a matter of free trade and competition, it has the advantage over businesses like Boeing that have had to show a profit to survive.
Boeing has provided the engineering and models for several Airbus based airliners. While not exact copies, Airbus has shamefully copied many of the designs of Boeing. Now, Airbus (the Northrop-European group) has a contract that should have been given to a good old Red-white-and Blue American Company, who owes its existence and ability to bid low to a nation (The United States) who fought a war on foreign soil for the European people (World War II) whose patriotic and loyal American Company (Boeing, Inc of Seattle Washington) that provided the basic designs for many of the Airbus products.
Part of the problem is that there was some question about favoritism, and shady dealings in the original bidding process. Republican Candidate for President John McCain is part of the group in Congress helped uncover the fraud, and in a reversal, the contract was taken away from Boeing, and given to the Northrup/Airbus group.
What is my problem in all of this?
Well, much of the war effort in the last 50 years in aviation has been supported by Boeing, and they are a true American Owned, American Based Company. They have loyally provided the equipment, the planes, the engineering, and the know how to allow us to fight many of the skirmishes, Wars and conflicts we have fought. Boeing deserves more loyalty from the Military it has provided for, as well as loyalty from the American Public. Now, a group from Europe has a major defense contract to supply tankers for our military, a company that has an unfair and anti spirit of competitiveness advantage. I say, fix the fraud, but that the contract should have gone to Boeing. Call me a hopeless pro American romantic, or anti Free Trade, or something. But in matters of Military aircraft, I think we need to look to our own, and to those companies that have stood by us in the past, and would like to do so again.
Boeing.
