Source www.kc45now.com
February 23, 2011, By Tony Capaccio
Feb. 23 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Defense Department will announce tomorrow the winner of the $35 billion aerial tanker contest pitting Boeing Co. against European Aeronautic, Defence & Space Co., according to a government official. The decision was made today when senior Pentagon and Air Force officials -- including Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn, weapons buyer Ashton Carter, procurement director Shay Assad and Air Force program manager Brigadier General Christopher Bogdan -- met to review the announcement, said the official, who was not authorized to discuss the decision prior to the announcement and spoke on condition of anonymity. Boeing, based in Chicago, and EADS, which has headquarters in Paris and Munich, are vying for a contract of about $35 billion to replace 179 of the Pentagon’s fleet of more than 500 KC-135 tankers. The U.S. military depends on in-flight refueling to extend the range of combat and transport planes.