US DOD goes with Airbus

[scott967 62]

Hard for me to believe, but I guess that's the plan for the new tanker buy, assuming the Congress goes along.scott s..

[Guest]

So DoD is surrendering the entire US defense strategy to the French.Such deals effectively mean that the country buying the goods will have to get approval from the French for anything they want to use the aircraft for.This will mean no more US support for Israel or any other country France doesn't like or they turn off the flow of spare parts.

[byork 2,258]

It's a very interesting move.Given that Boeing is a company that creates real wealth (they manufacture real goods as opposed to a lot companies who just push paper around), it's kinda odd the US gov't would ship a good chunk of this contract out to France, especially in these rather uncertain economic times. I like France a lot, but the US gov't should put the interests of American workers and companies first.However, there is probably a lot more to this than has been let out.We'll probably have to wait a bit till all the details come out.Bryan

[Guest]

the real reason is no doubt politics.The K767 is the favourite of the Air Force, the 330 doesn't even fit in existing hangars...But if it's going to be built in the home state of a key senator or congressman who's needed to get some other project approved, that's enough reason to go for it anyway.

[byork 2,258]

I think I've misunderstood.Are they building the whole plane from scratch basically in Alabama or just modifying it in Alabama?If they're building the whole plane from scratch in the US, then that's a little better.Bryan

[Guest]

They're assembling them in Alabama from components created at least in part in Airbus factories in Europe AFAIK.Maybe that will move to component manufacturing (and thus full license production) in time, I don't know, but that's the usual deal with license building aircraft.

[Bunson Honeydew 0]

all you Boeing workers can give the ol' "straight talker" a big ol' thank you for screwing you on this deal!http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/01/business/01tanker.html?hp

[Holger 0]

Hi guys,well, it's not that Boeing is the good old all-American company anymore. Maybe the guys in charge got scared of the 1000+ Russian engineers? (just kidding)http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/conte...05/b3969417.htm(two-years old news but interesting, IMO)Cheers, Holger

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

I find it interesting that the politicians are already beating the drum of "keeping jobs in America" as if the entire package is going to EADS and "them foreigners". Last time I looked, Northrop Grumman, the PRIME CONTRACTOR for this program, is a Red, White and Blue American company, with 10's of thousands of American workers. And that the engines will be built in the U.S. along with nearly 100% of the electronics onboard.People who think that a Boeing aircraft is built entirely by American labor are not too knowledgable about the internationalization of the aircraft industry these days.

[Jeff Nielsen 1,385]

Last time I was up at Everett I think they said that some 30 countries send in parts for the 777 line. Maybe more, can't remember.Thee bottom line though is that the 777 line still employs US workers where as people here in ICT will loose jobs. One is fair trade and the other is just 'free' trade...understanding there's much much more to the whole story we haven't heard about, I'm sure.

[Bunson Honeydew 0]

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[Guest]

Northrop Grumman will assemble the aircraft from kits being shipped in from EADS, at least initially.That's something quite different from Boeing contracting components to companies abroad.You're giving up control over the equipment your own armed forces are using.I don't like it that my own country lost the ability to build its own equipment bit by bit from the 1940s, and is now almost totally dependent on other countries (including its traditional enemies, the French, Germans, Brits, and Spanish) for the means of its defense.Don't let the US go the same way, especially as the US relies more on its armed forces as an instrument of foreign policy than do small countries (whether you like it or not), and that's going to be compromised by loosing control over the production and maintenance of the equipment your armed forces use to (potential) opponents in the international relations game.

[Jeff Nielsen 1,385]

You know, it's not that I mind globalization in general as much, etc., etc., if we'd just take care of our own country first. I'm sure everyone else who lives else where feels the same way...lol.It's like going straight to the finish line without even running the race!

[onurksn 1]

Hello all,I don't think it's that dramatic. Firstly Airbus, apart from being french is also british and german not to mention the smaller participants.Secondly, I mean, honnestly it just seems impossible that the US is going to back down from it's foreign policy just because EADS will refuse spare parts.France is much more dependant to the US than vice versa.IMHO this is just what free trade is about in today's world. Or maybe Boeing is just to busy to accept more orders.Regards

[Bunson Honeydew 0]

Sorry Tom, I guess I got carried away. Won't happen again.Bunson