So he intends to Sole Source to Boeing, vs an open contract competition?
No, he’s just shopping.
Why not? The Super Hornet is a proven aircraft that does what we need it to do minus some stealth capability--and it's a hell of a lot cheaper.
He’s asking for a cost...it’s market research. Completely legal.
Yes. He has said many times that he had a pen and a phone and has no need to mess around with Congress or bureaucratic red tape.
No! Wait! He never said that! You just pretended he said that!
“So he intends to Sole Source to Boeing, vs an open contract competition?”
So? The Super Hornet is a Boeing product. If the gov wanted to buy iPhones, do they need to open contract away from Apple??
That's what you got from this? You do realize that a major part of the cost overruns are because politicians meddle and allow their pet contractors to seriously underbid and then don't punish them for grossly scalping the taxpayer after they get the contract.
He's telling both companies that if they want to do business they need to get their acts together.