(Tupolev ANT-20bis)
Posted on 03/20/2010 7:24:11 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Here's the latest twist in the Air Force tanker saga: The Russians are coming.
Russia's government-owned aerospace company will announce Monday it is competing against Boeing for the $40 billion refueling-tanker contract, a Los Angeles attorney for the company said Friday.
United Aircraft of Moscow plans to unveil a U.S. partner and offer a modified version of its Ilyushin Il-96 wide-body plane, said John Kirkland, a Los Angeles lawyer representing the group.
The still-unidentified partner, "a U.S. public company and existing defense contractor," would assemble the planes in the U.S., he said. The Russian interest in the tanker bid was first reported Friday by The Wall Street Journal.
United Aircraft was formed under the authority of then-President Vladimir Putin in 2006 to combine the most famous names in Russian aviation: Sukhoi, Tupolev, Ilyushin, MiG.
Kirkland acknowledged it faces "significant hurdles ... there are obvious security issues, there are sanctions and restrictions on buying things from Russia."
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
Obama’s wet dream.
They will come complete with a “self destruct” mechanism controlled by the KGB.
I think they should take a pass..
That’s actually pretty funny. The weird thing is that with these clowns running things it isn’t so strange is it?
Definitely a new twist on the old jokes about flying aircraft built by the lowest bidder.
Watch, Congress will do everything in their power to give them the contract.
That is the most stupid idea I ever heard.
Imagine the Russkies winning the bid to build tankers for the USAF...........that might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back....even more so than health care.
Here is the money quote at the bottom of the article:
“Its Putin’s favorite plane,” Kirkland said, adding that because of the AN148’s low price, “Everyone should want it, they’re just worried about the maintenance.”
He said his Russian clients told him that when President Obama met Putin, the Russian president specifically asked about United Aircraft’s potential bid on the tanker.
“Obama gave him his personal assurance they would be given a fair shot at this like everyone else,” he said.
In another article, Hillary in Russia is encouraging them to bid. I am shocked but I want to know who the American partner in this effort is going to be announced on Monday.
It’s cold in Dallas today but not nearly cold enough to freeze hades. Not a chance we’ll have Russian-built tanker planes.
I’m sure our commmie commander in chief will go with the Soviet bid. Whatever.
(Tupolev ANT-20bis)
I bet if this deal is to happen it will be Lockheed assembled Il-96s with P&W engines. Btw, Il-86/96 is very reliable design. Being extensively used as East-block Jumbo Jet they has a single accident since 1977.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwQkwbNjpK0
Here is a nice video. Maybe a bit oversized for a tanker.
ping
You’re tag line apt.
Thank you for the ping Ali Veritas.
SEATTLE TIMES.com: "'BIZARRE' TANKER TWIST: RUSSIANS WILL BID AGAINST BOEING FOR AIR FORCE CONTRACT" by Rami Grunbaum (SNIPPET: "Kirkland acknowledged it faces "significant hurdles ... there are obvious security issues, there are sanctions and restrictions on buying things from Russia."") (March 19, 2010) (Read More...)
They don't need to do anything. All Ilyushin has to do is meet the minimum performance standard and be 1% cheaper.
I thought this was a joke—but maybe the Russians are serious about getting some US defense money flowing to Moscow. They do have experience building large ships. Would it be as good as the French Plane?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.