Sorry, Euros: Boeing Wins Tanker Deal. Again.

Photo: Staff Sergeant Robert Barney

February 24, 2011 by Spencer Ackerman DANGER ROOM

Same as it ever was: Boeing won the Air Force’s $35 billion deal to build 179 flying gas stations.

The decision, announced by the Air Force and Pentagon leadership Thursday afternoon, comes seven years after Congress yanked a deal to lease tankers from the U.S. aerospace giant after finding it riddled with corruption. And it comes three years after an appeal by Boeing overturned the Air Force’s decision to give the contract to rival EADS. The ancient tankers that Boeing’s new 767-modeled tankers will replace? Yeah, Boeing made those too.

Air Force Secretary Michael Donley told reporters at the Pentagon that the award is the result of a “thorough and transparent selection process.” Maybe so. But the Center for Responsive Politics points out that Boeing outspent EADS on lobbying, shelling out $17.8 million to influence powerful legislators and officials in 2010, compared to EADS’ $3.2 million.

At the Pentagon, Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn ducked a question on why Boeing won when EADS didn’t substantially change its design for a smaller tanker that briefly won the KC-X deal. “We structured a competition that was fair,” Lynn said, and “Boeing was the winner.”

Boeing’s initial contract, worth $3.5 billion, obligates it to deliver 18 tankers by 2017. That is, if EADS’ Hill allies don’t manage to open up the competition once again.