The "fact" that Boeing bought out MD does not count in my book as Boeing building the KC-10, any more than the "fact" that Chyrsler bought out Jeep from AMC means that Chrysler is now credited with building the CJ5.
No. It just means that only Boeing/MD can build a boom.
No it means that an independent team wholely separate from Boeing at the time built and deployed a flying boom.
EADs has had recurrent and serious problems. McDonnell Douglas was a hell of a lot better aerospace engineering firm than EADs...even with all of its espionage and $20+ billion in subsidies.
And Northrop Grumman has no aerospace experience whatsoever, and is there just to lend their US name to EADS?
So? The fact is mergers make for bigger broader companies. Boeing is now McDonnell Douglas and vice versa.