Takes Flight
09 Apr 2008
Air Force Association defends U.S. Air Force selection of Northrop Grumman
The Mobile Press-Register is reporting that the Air Force Association, "an influential trade group with close ties to the military," is defending the decision by the U.S. Air Force to pick Northrop Grumman to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
The Press-Register quotes AFA board Chairman Bob Largent: "Despite some criticism, we believe the Air Force has followed a fair, specific and clear procedure with independent oversight, a process that should be allowed to run its course so that new tankers are added to the fleet as quickly as possible."
According to the Press-Register, the Arlington, Va.-based AFA, which includes about 125,000 military and civilian members, said it wasn't favoring either Northrop Grumman or losing bidder Boeing, which has protested the Air Force decision to the Government Accountability Office.
The newspaper notes that Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman plans to assemble and modify its tankers in Mobile, creating an estimated 1,500 jobs at a $600 million facility at the Brookley Field Industrial Complex.
Nationwide, Northrop Grumman's win will support 48,000 jobs, split between the company and 230 suppliers operating in 49 states.
The GAO has a deadline of June 19 to complete its review.
Mike Dunn, AFA's president, said that the Air Force took extraordinary care to run a fair competition, the Press Register reports.
According to the newspaper, the AFA said in a statement posted on its Web site that it maintains a posture of neutrality on contract awards. But, according to the newspaper, "the statement said AFA leaders 'believe the Air Force has acted properly under the established rules and laws, been transparent about the process, followed a carefully set procedure, used an expert evaluation team, and prioritized the capabilities and costs as required under statute.' "
To read the entire article, go to:
http://www.al.com/news/press-register/index.ssf?/ base/news/1207665904217760.xml&coll=3
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