The European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. (EADS) said
Friday it will not ask the Pentagon to review the decision to have Boeing build
nearly 200 giant airborne refueling tankers.
“It’s time to put the interest of the warfighter first and
we’re stepping aside,” said Ralph Crosby Jr., chairman of EADS North America.
The Air Force picked Boeing last week to build a replacement
for the 1950s-era tanker fleet. The contract would mean tens of thousands of US
jobs, with Washington state and Kansas getting the bulk of the work. The
contract, which could be worth as much as $100 billion, is a major win for
Boeing.
EADS had planned to assemble the aircraft at a closed
military base in Mobile, Alabama.
The tankers allow jet fighters, supply planes and other
aircraft to cover long distances. That is critical today with fewer overseas
bases and with operations under way far from the United States.
