Firing Offense (Air Force Tanker deal)

Townhall ^ | 6/9/08 | Frank Gaffney

[jazusamo]

I don’t know one way or the other on the contract, I posted regarding the firings.

I will say that Murtha was livid when the contract didn’t go to Boeing.

I consider Murtha one of if not the biggest crook in Congress so I believe that says something about the contract not going to Boeing.

[pissant]

Juan McCain has his fingerprints all over this deal...

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/11/business/lobby.php

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/354300_mccaintanker08.html

McCain Calls On Gates To Review Tanker Buy

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=defense&id=news/MCC12066.xml

[Oztrich Boy]

Frank Gaffney is just a nobody when it comes to defense issues, I reckon.

You're proably right, but all I said was he was being creative with the facts

[pissant]

There are very few in Frank’s league when it comes to defense systems and defense related issues. Duncan Hunter comes to mind, and he is on Frank’s side in this debate. Now if you want to argue that the procurement staffers and political appointees in the Pentagon know more than Hunter and Gaffney, be my guest.

[saminfl]

I don't know about this. The Boeing delivery to Japan and Italy are supposedly a couple of years late.

I remember seeing somewhere that EADS has delivered operational tankers to Australia at least.

I was involved in a GAO protest several years ago. We actually won the protest, but the GAO stuff was not public until their decision.

How can anyone speculate on what is wrong or right?

[Oztrich Boy]

Argumentum ad Verecundiam

[pissant]

I’ve read every all the info as well. Boeing should have won the award, for several reasons.

[pissant]

Because much info has been made public, not the GAO deliberations, but the protest from Boeing, the hearings on the matter, and AF’s written statements.

[Admin Moderator]

#13 removed, because of severe restrictions on Gannett publications.

[jazusamo]

Thanks for the links, pissant, I’ll read them later.

[pissant]

Better than that cheap novel you were planning on reading, well, maybe not.

[Oztrich Boy]

I remember seeing somewhere that EADS has delivered operational tankers to Australia at least.

Not quite IOC is next year

Although the First Refueling-equipped KC-30B Tanker for the Royal Australian Air Force was complete just a year ago next week and is currently undergoing predelivery testing and t compatibility to other aircraft maneuvering testing .

These tests manoeuvrings and dry link up are being done with the A330, because that's the operational airframe.

Which leads to < Frank Gaffney's misleading

None has moved aviation fuel through an operational boom

The fuel transfer tests are being carried out on EADS's smaller A310 boom demonstrator aircraft

Meanwhile Boeing is promising to design a boom if Uncle Sugar comes up with cash, on the basis of past glories "It has delivered 1,800 operational refueling booms," - < Frank (as if Ford said "Hey we built 15 million Models Ts, you'll love the Edsel")

[Perdogg]

Are you an aerospace engineer?

[pissant]

I worked in Aerospace on the manufacturing side for 9 years and now I am a consultant that continues to work in the industry.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Two were delivered to the Japanese air force earlier this spring.

Four more are currently being built for Italy.

Gaffney fails to disclose how many years behind schedule Boeing is in making those deliveries.

Its American manufacturing line is well-established.

Gaffney also fails to disclose that Boeing had to move tanker production from its "well-established" line at Aeronavali in Italy back to Wichita because of their inability to meet said schedule.

Somebody needs to see if Gaffney is getting paid over or under the table by Boeing to plead their case.