Schakowsky Statement on U.S. Air Force's Military Tanker Aircraft Contract

SCHAKOWSKY STATEMENT ON U.S. AIR FORCE'S MILITARY TANKER AIRCRAFT CONTRACT

Washington, D.C.–U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) released the following statement today in response to the U.S. Air Force's decision to award Northrop Grumman and the North American division of European Aeronautic, Defense and Space Company (EADS) a $35 billion contract to build military tanker aircraft. The consortium was awarded the contract over Illinois-based competitor Boeing Company.

"I am very disappointed by the U.S. Air Force's decision to award this multi-billion dollar contract to Northrup Grumman and EADS, instead of the Boeing Company,... said U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL). "At a time when our country's manufacturing base is being decimated because of outsourcing, it is unimaginable that the U.S. Air Force would award this contract to a consortium that plans to spend 42 percent of that money overseas. Instead of choosing a company like Boeing with over 75 years of experience, the U.S. Air Force selected a consortium that has never even built this type of airplane tanker. It is a sad day in America when our own military chooses a largely foreign-owned consortium over an American company to build military equipment designed to protect the very Americans it refuses to employ....