By Emelie Rutherford
As observers wait to see if European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. (EADS) contests the Air Force tanker contract award to Chicago-based Boeing [BA] in the coming days, congressional supporters of the European firm’s bid are sounding alarms.
The House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee plans to hold a hearing on the $3.5 billion contract for 18 aerial-refueling tankers awarded to Boeing on Feb. 24.
Supporters of EADS’ proposed aircraft, which it planned to assemble in Alabama, immediately began asking questions when the Pentagon announced it awarded the contract to Boeing.
Rep. Jo Bonner (R-Ala.), in whose district the EADS aircraft was slated to be assembled, noted that EADS won the tanker competition three years ago, before government auditors found flaws with the process and the Pentagon started over.
“Unfortunately, the best tanker for our military was not selected,” he said. “I intend to demand a full accounting as to why.”
Bonner added that the tanker competition “has been challenged before and it’s not unlikely it will be challenged again.”
“It will ultimately be up to EADS to determine whether they will protest this decision and I will fully support whatever decision they make,” he said
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), a Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) member, said in light of the contract award to Boeing, he “intend(s) to examine the process carefully to ensure it was fairly conducted.”
“Only Chicago politics could tip the scales in favor of Boeing’s inferior plane,” charged Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee (SAC). “If this decision stands, our warfighters will not get the superior equipment they deserve.”
Boeing supporters from states including Washington, Illinois, and Kansas hailed the Air Force’s decision.
Lawmakers beyond those states that would benefit from the contract award issued carefully worded statements reacting to the Boeing contract.
SASC Ranking Member John McCain (R-Ariz.), who closely monitored the tanker competition and uncovered a previous tanker-leasing scandal that sent Air Force and Boeing officials to prison, said he was “pleased that the Air Force has made a decision to award a contract for a replacement aerial refueling tanker.”
“I look forward to the Air Force demonstrating over the next few weeks how…(the) decision was made fairly, openly and transparently,” McCain said. “Only such a process will ensure that we obtain the most capable aerial refueling tanker at the most reasonable cost.”
House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Chairman Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.), Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Seapower subcommittee Chairman Todd Akin (R-Mo.), and Seapower Ranking Member Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.) in a joint statement said the committee “will continue the necessary oversight to ensure the (tanker) evaluation was transparent and fair to each competitor.”
“We look forward to receiving more information from the Air Force as we review their decision-making processes,” the HASC leaders said. “The Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee will hold a hearing on this issue as soon as enough information is publicly available.”
Akin, for his part, said: “While I am personally encouraged by this decision, we have very little information at this point to evaluate whether the competition was fair and level.”