EADS/Northrop may simply be producing a much better aircraft for slightly more money (and in light of the comments I've seen on various threads, this could very well be the case).
I'd also suggest that Boeing didn't do itself any favors by: (1) failing to meet deadlines in the delivery of other aircraft in recent months, and (2) having a couple of its executives involved in a scandal involving potential bribery of U.S. military and/or government officials in the months leading up to this selection.
And don’t forget Boeing built that $1B Secret Satellite that failed after launch and had to be shot down.
“I’d also suggest that Boeing didn’t do itself any favors by: (1) failing to meet deadlines in the delivery of other aircraft in recent months, and (2) having a couple of its executives involved in a scandal involving potential bribery of U.S. military and/or government officials in the months leading up to this selection.”
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I am not so naive as to suggest that Boeing is without sin, but neither is Airbus.
In fact, just about a year and a half ago Airbus/EADS was involved in a very nasty scandal that originated with Airbus’ own failure to meet deadlines due to electrical wiring problems in the manufacturing of the new (civilian) Airbus A380.
On the basis of this “insider” information about the wiring problems not available to other stockholders, “co-CEO” Noel Forgeard decided to do a little insider trading and dumped his stock - causing a major financial problem for Airbus, and the French, German and British governments. Here are some articles describing the scandal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No%C3%ABl_Forgeard
As it was, EADS had to name two CEO’s to end the squabbling between the French and the Germans over who was going to sit in the catbird seat. Forgeard was said to be a creature of Chirac.
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EADS finally names its new bosses
“Airbus owner EADS has finally named Noel Forgeard and Thomas Enders as its new joint chief executives, ending months of reported boardroom wrangling.
Their appointments had been delayed after reports of a bitter dispute between EADS’ German and French shareholders.
The row centred on Frenchman Mr Forgeard’s alleged wish to also hold onto the top job at Airbus.
EADS’ German shareholders publicly opposed such a move.
Mr Forgeard is now being replaced as Airbus chief executive by Gustav Humbert, who will become the first German to run the Toulouse-based firm......read more.....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4623659.stm
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Share the gain, share the pain.............
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EADS and Airbus bosses both quit
The embattled co-chief executive of Airbus parent company EADS, Noel Forgeard, has resigned.
The announcement comes after intense pressure on Mr Forgeard to quit in the wake of an insider trading scandal.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5138840.stm
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“There are several inter-related strands to this story. Airbus is a European flagship company with a complex governance structure through its parent EADS which involves particularly French and German Governments. The business theme is centred around the fierce competition between Airbus and Boeing products. The political theme involves unresolved bickering about the ways in which the US and European governments subsidize their commercial interests. There are additional fascinating manufacturing, logistic, and technological issues to do with creating next-generation products across multiple international sites, and meet increasingly drifting deadlines. Oh, yes, and Airbus is struggling to achieve considerable cost-cuttings with industrial relations troubles. Add to all these issues a series of allegations of corruption. “....read more....
http://leaderswedeserve.wordpress.com/category/noel-forgeard/
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Noel Forgeard and the A380
“It has been a year to forget for EADS co-CEO Noel Forgeard, from repeated
A380 delays to an A380 evacuation drill that resulted in 32 injuries and a
broken leg, as well as allegations of insider trading.”
http://www.leeham.net/filelib/Forgeard.pdf
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Profile: Noel Forgeard
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5138870.stm
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CEO Forgeard Losing Altitude
According to press reports, the co-chief executive of European aeronautics giant EADS is expected to resign this week. His departure would mark the culmination of a crisis that has seen the company’s share price fall in recent weeks by 30 percent.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,423870,00.html