Monday
Mar312008
Conservative coalition calls for oversight of tanker contract
Monday, March 31, 2008 at 3:47PM
At a press conference at the National Press Club coalition of conservative think tanks expressed their concern over the Air Force's award of the aerial tanker refueling plane contract to the European Aeronautic Defense, and Space consortium. Participants were Frank Gaffney of the Center for Security Policy, who was also a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense under Reagan. George Landrith of Frontiers of Freedom and Colin Hanna of Let Freedom Ring, Jim Martin the National Defense Council Foundation and 60 Plus.
The speakers express their concern with the recent award of a tanker contract to a European based defense contractor EADS instead of the American aerospace company Boeing. They said that the current tanker fleet dates back to the Eisenhower administration and that because the new tanker will last as long, they are concerned with the American military "marrying" into a European company with a potential for conflicting national security interests. They called on Congress to exercise their oversight in the event that the Government Accounting office does not rule against the Air Force decision.
They coalition also alleged that the Department of Defense changed the requirements for the tanker in the middle of the bidding process to ensure what Frank Gaffney called "competition über alles." Gaffney said that the Air Force was disregarding the requests of warfighters and that the bidding process amounted to a "bait and switch."
One of the first questions was whether the think tanks involved in the coalition received money from Boeing. Only the Center for Security Policy has received money from both Boeing and Northrop Grumman (the American subsidiary of EADS) in the last calendar year.
When asked about the the coalition's position on John McCain's role in the bidding process and McCain's possible interest on behalf of EADS, Gaffney said that while he is personal friends with McCain, he disagrees with him in this respect. He mentioned a correspondence sent from John McCain to Robert Gates, before Gates' confirmation as secretary of defense, saying that it encouraged competition over all without respect to the requirements of the warfighter.
Gaffney said that while he is unsure of the intentions of those working with John McCain who have lobbied in the past for EADS, that McCain's emphasis on competition contributed to the "delay of game" that is keeping replacement tankers from the force, which Gaffney said concerns him on a national security level.
The speakers express their concern with the recent award of a tanker contract to a European based defense contractor EADS instead of the American aerospace company Boeing. They said that the current tanker fleet dates back to the Eisenhower administration and that because the new tanker will last as long, they are concerned with the American military "marrying" into a European company with a potential for conflicting national security interests. They called on Congress to exercise their oversight in the event that the Government Accounting office does not rule against the Air Force decision.
They coalition also alleged that the Department of Defense changed the requirements for the tanker in the middle of the bidding process to ensure what Frank Gaffney called "competition über alles." Gaffney said that the Air Force was disregarding the requests of warfighters and that the bidding process amounted to a "bait and switch."
One of the first questions was whether the think tanks involved in the coalition received money from Boeing. Only the Center for Security Policy has received money from both Boeing and Northrop Grumman (the American subsidiary of EADS) in the last calendar year.
When asked about the the coalition's position on John McCain's role in the bidding process and McCain's possible interest on behalf of EADS, Gaffney said that while he is personal friends with McCain, he disagrees with him in this respect. He mentioned a correspondence sent from John McCain to Robert Gates, before Gates' confirmation as secretary of defense, saying that it encouraged competition over all without respect to the requirements of the warfighter.
Gaffney said that while he is unsure of the intentions of those working with John McCain who have lobbied in the past for EADS, that McCain's emphasis on competition contributed to the "delay of game" that is keeping replacement tankers from the force, which Gaffney said concerns him on a national security level.
Alabama Senators Want Equal Playing Field For Aerospace Contract
At a press conference Tuesday, delegates from Alabama led by Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) said they are disappointed with the Pentagon and U.S. Air Force's Request For Proposal (RFP) for a next-generation aerial refueling tanker, the KC-X, arguing that the RFP is biased towards the manufacturer Boeing.
Also bidding for the KC-X is defense contractor Northrop Grumman, which if chosen by the Pentagon to carry out the project, plans to build a new assembly plant in Mobile, Alabama.
Rep. Jo Bonner, (R-Ala.), whose Congressional district includes Mobile, says the new plant would create nearly 48,000 new jobs in his state.
“We look forward to build the world’s best tanker...but that's only if the Department of Defense is serious about giving us a fair shot and fair competition,” Bonner said.
Yesterday, every delegate from Alabama signed a letter that was sent to Defense Secretary Robert Gates requesting a new draft of the proposal. The letter argues that the RFP lacks an “assessment of risk associated with either schedule, past performance or price.”
The letter also states that the some of the RFP’s new requirements for the tanker could be satisfied by the KC-135 refueling tanker, which was designed over 50 years ago.
In February 2008, the U.S. Air Force chose Northrop Grumman’s bid for the KC-X project, but later that year the Department of Defense halted the project.
"This new request for proposal has changed...in so many ways. And in just about all those ways, it is tilting the process towards Boeing,” said Shelby.