U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement on the announcement made today by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and top Air Force officials regarding the procurement process for the approximately $35 billion tanker program. Larsen is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and his district is home to Boeing’s Everett plant where Boeing would build the next generation of refueling tankers for our military.
“The Defense Department’s decision to heed the GAO’s report and rebid the tanker contract is good news for American taxpayers, Boeing workers and the men and women who serve in our military. It is my view that Secretary of Defense Gates has taken the GAO’s recommendations seriously, and that he has stepped in to get the selection process back on track. Today’s announcement brought common sense back to the tanker selection process.
“In the coming days, I will work to ensure that the Defense Department accurately incorporates the GAO’s recommendations into the new source selection process to provide our men and women in our military with the best refueling tanker for our national security. I will work to make sure American taxpayers don’t foot the bill for a less capable, more expensive and illegally-subsidized European tanker. And I will continue to fight for Boeing jobs and the investments that create them.
“The GAO’s report released last month made it clear that the Air Force failed to adequately evaluate the greater capabilities and lower cost of the Boeing tanker. The Air Force failed to follow their own criteria in evaluating the tankers’ capabilities. They failed to take into account the higher military construction costs of the Airbus/ EADS proposal. And they failed to consider the superior fuel efficiency of the Boeing tanker and the money it would save the American taxpayer.
“As the Defense Department moves forward with rebidding the tanker contract, I urge them to consider the broader implications of their choice. Awarding this contract to Airbus/EADS would reward European governments for illegal subsidies and do serious damage to our U.S. defense industrial base.”
“Tomorrow, I will join my House Armed Services Committee colleagues to question top Air Force officials and Defense Department officials about what went wrong with the tanker selection process and what they are doing to make it right. I can assure the Air Force that feet will be held to the fire until the American people get the answers they deserve and our military gets the tanker they need.”
