Boeing's Big Tanker Coup

Here's today's article.

Review of Northrop bid urged

In a surprise turnaround, congressional investigators Wednesday upheld Boeing Co.'s protest of a $35 billion Air Force contract awarded to competitor Northrop Grumman Corp.

The Government Accountability Office also recommended that the Air Force hold a new competition to build 179 aerial refueling tankers to replace an aging fleet.

The ruling could further delay the start of the program, which eventually could reach $100 billion.

Northrop's El Segundo-based Integrated Systems sector had won the contract in February with partner and Airbus parent European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., which is based in France and Germany.

Much of the production and final assembly for Northrop's KC-45 tanker would occur in Mobile, Ala., with thousands of subcontracting jobs created in Southern California.

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