EADS will not improve U.S. tanker

Reuters ^ | Feb 5, 2011 | Sabine Siebold

[sukhoi-30mki]

EADS will not improve U.S. tanker

(Reuters) - Airbus (EAD.PA) Chief Executive Tom Enders said on Saturday the European planemaker's parent company EADS would not improve its bid to build a fleet of U.S. Air Force aerial refueling planes.

"It is not our style to make hectic corrections at the last minute," Enders told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of a security conference in Munich.

Enders said EADS had made a very good offer for the contract, that also made economic sense, whereas competitor Boeing Co (BA.N) had announced "last changes" to its bid.

The transatlantic rivals have been locked in a bitter battle for the job, worth up to $50 billion, which calls for 179 new planes to start phasing out Boeing-built tankers that average about 50 years old.

Boeing and EADS must submit their final proposal revisions, also known as "best and final offers," for the aerial tankers by February 11 after separate meetings with U.S. Air Force officials on Monday, February 7.

"Our offer was made a while ago," Enders said.

Air Force officials say they expect to award a contract to either Boeing or EADS in early 2011, but industry executives and analysts say the losing bidder is likely to file a protest, which could delay procurement of the planes for years.

Industry executives say a contract award could come as early as February 25, although the Air Force decision will be carefully vetted by top Pentagon officials. That could

[battlecry]

Why spend money on a BAFO when you got lawyers to pay to file a protest?

[17th Miss Regt]

but industry executives and analysts say the losing bidder is likely to file a protest, which could delay procurement of the planes for years.

And who knows? If Boeing wins and the protest is upheld, a new competition might be ordered. It worked last time...