Kansas Lt. Gov. Parkinson, Colleague Raise Concerns Over Decision To Outsource Tankers To Airbus

May 14, 2008 -- Kansas Lieutenant Governor Mark Parkinson is voicing his concern with the Air Force’s decision to outsource American military tankers to French-based Airbus.

“There are simply too many questions related to economic impact, national security, construction costs, mission capabilities and above all, the integrity of the Air Force’s selection process, to allow this decision to go unchallenged,” Parkinson said. “The Air Force’s decision to send a $35 billion contract - the second largest in U.S. history - and 19,000 jobs to Europe is not only bad for American workers, but a threat to our long-term national security.”

Parkinson, along with the Washington Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen, voiced their concerns in a recent letter to the National Lieutenant Governor’s Association. Previously, Alabama Lieutenant Governor Jim Folsom, Jr., had written in support of the Air Force’s decision.

“There are some long-term strategic aspects of the Air Force decision that must be addressed,” Owen said. He continued, “The KC-45 is not an American built aircraft. It has U.S. components, but its frame will be foreign-built. Because this will significantly lower expected demand for the Boeing C-17, the decision ultimately could lead to the end of U.S. built military transport aircraft.”

“Boeing has raised some legitimate and good questions in its review and we join the company in demanding a thorough and impartial second look at the process that takes into account the strategic nature of this decision as well,” Owen added.

In addition to the superior capability, features of the Boeing proposal include a more fuel efficient aircraft which is less costly to maintain.

The following is the complete text of the letter to the Alabama Lt. Governor and members of the National Lieutenant Governors Association:

The Honorable Jim Folsom, Jr.
Lieutenant Governor
Alabama State House
11 South Union Street, Suite 725
Montgomery, AL 36130

Dear Governor Folsom:

Thank you for your recent letter. We appreciate the comments and opinions you shared related to the U.S. Air Force’s controversial decision to outsource tankers to the EADS/Northrop/French Airbus consortium versus selecting the American company, Boeing.

Despite the preference our respective states may have for one company over another, it is imperative that we not lose site of the bigger picture – what is best for our entire nation over the long run.

We are fully supportive of Boeing’s decision to protest the award with the General Accounting Office (GAO) because there are simply too many questions related to jobs and economic impact, national security, comparable tanker costs, capabilities and above all, the integrity of the selection process, to allow the Air Force’s decision to go unchallenged.

The economic impact of the tanker contract will be significant. Under Boeing, American workers throughout the nation will benefit from the 44,000 much-needed jobs that will be supported should they receive the contract. That figure has remained constant throughout the process. Over the past several months, EADS/Northrop/French Airbus’ reported U.S. job estimates have ranged anywhere from 7,000 – 48,000. The fluid and unsubstantiated nature of those estimates, as well as the lack of information presented about the number of overseas jobs that will be created, has been cause for concern.

Further, the Boeing KC-767 is more fuel efficient and less costly to maintain, and would cost significantly less in military construction and infrastructure costs. Over its lifetime, a Boeing tanker would result in billions of dollars in savings to the American taxpayer. In this time of economic downturn, we cannot ask taxpayers to foot the bill for a costlier product that will primarily be manufactured overseas when questions remain about its efficiency and capability. Boeing’s offering, the KC-767, simply provides superior military capabilities, financial benefits and environmental advantages.

As devastating as the job and financial loss will be to the U.S., there is even more at stake for our nation as a whole. Of additional grave concern is the U.S. Air Force’s decision to outsource the design and production of a war-fighting aircraft. American foreign policy could be held hostage should relationships change and foreign interests decide to withhold critical military parts and equipment. This scenario is not unprecedented and to relinquish our control over our military equipment is unnecessarily risky.

While economic and national security considerations are important factors, the very core of Boeing’s protest is their assertion that there were significant flaws and irregularities in the Air Force’s selection process. Boeing has also provided detailed data which demonstrates their KC-767 tanker is superior in areas such as total mission capability, survivability, aerial refueling capability, fuel offload capability and airlift capability - - all areas of critical importance.

From the negative impact on the American economy and taxpayers, to the dangers to our national security, to what appears to have been a manipulated selection process which resulted in a less capable, more costly tanker being chosen, the U.S. Air Force’s decision to send a $35 billion contract and 19,000 American jobs to Europe deserves thorough review and reconsideration.

The GAO has an appeal process in place to address exactly this sort of concern and it is important to the integrity of this contract and future of the acquisition process that this appeal be heard. In fact, 27% of procurement contracts are over-turned during the appeal process, which means errors have been successfully corrected in the past.

As we look forward to the GAO’s decision which is due mid-June, the healthy discourse over the competing refueling tankers should continue. Only through this process will elected leaders, interested organizations and members of the public learn the facts so all can be confident that the final decision is in the best interest of our nation’s economic and national security.

Source: Kansas Lieutenant Governor

Bookmark/Search this post with:

 •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •