This Thursday the Government Accountability Office will announce its decision after investigating the Air Force awarding a $40 billion tanker contract to French Airbus over American based Boeing.

If there is any justice they should reach the conclusion that Boeing is the more qualified candidate. Boeing has built the Air Force tankers for the last 50 years- Airbus has no previous tanker building experience. In the official evaluation categories of Mission Capability, Risk, Past Performance, Cost/Price and Integrated Fleet Aerial Refueling Assessment, Boeing achieved identical ratings to the Airbus aircraft. Boeing performed better in the key survivability rating and was deemed less vulnerable to attack than its French competitor.

The GAO must ensure that the rules of the game in competing for this contract were fair, and more importantly, realize that the long-term ramifications of outsourcing strategic components of American security to a less qualified competitor will have ruinous consequences on our country and economy (it is estimated this contract will cost 14,000 U.S. jobs). Boeing and America deserve better.

by Jim Baird

Source: Economy in Crisis

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