DoDBuzz: It’s Official: EADS Bids For KC-X

It’s Official: EADS Bids For KC-X
By Colin Clark Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 11:15 am
Posted in Air, International, Policy

EADS North America will pursue the tanker bid on its own, acting as prime and bringing in some 200 suppliers when it bids on the tanker.

Board Chairman Ralph Crosby made it official at the National Press Club, saying the tone of debate about the program needed to calm down, but also taking a combative tone, saying: “It’s unambiguous we have the better tanker.” And Crosby reiterated the familiar war cry that only EADS has a working flying tanker ready to sell..

Then CEO Sean O’Keefe introduced representatives of the major partners in the program: GE; Eaton Aerospace; GKN; Westland Aerospace; Goodrich; Hamilton-Sundstrand; Honeywell; RTI; Vought; Cobham.

With the North American company going it alone, this raises several basic questions. First, can they handle all the highly classified work that will be done on the plane. The answer to that one is probably yes, though the company may need to create a new proxy organization to handle it. Proxies are set up to insulate units that have foreign investors or owners and to allow them to handle the most highly classified work.

O’Keefe addressed that during the press conference, noting that 30 requirements dealt with classified matters. “We have the clearances necessary to do that,” O’Keefe said.



unhappycamper comment: You can bet your sweet ass that the 'We bring good things to life' company is gonna be lobbying for EADS.