What does this story have to do with the airbus?
The story mentions that EADs is now unlikely to prevail with its bid due to the financial follies of the company. And not just the corporate executive's misdeeds. But the company fundamentals.
EADs owns Airbus, and it was going to use an AirBus airframe to bid for the new tanker contract against the last remaining U.S. aerospace integrated manufacturer capable of bidding on the project...Boeing. Airbus is on the financial rocks, absent a huge infusion of free cash by France and Germany...a flaming GATT/WTO violation ...then there would ne no AirBus to make their planes for the EADs bid. And EADS will be drained of all cash to make such a bid. The Irish bidder is a last-second diversion. Their use of 20-year old DC-10s might be considered as a supplemental alternative. Personally, I kind of like the idea of a fleet of 60 additional KC-10s being available. They would be a lot more capable than the 757 derivatives in capacity, range and speed. But they should be crewed and maintained by the USAF, and Reserves.