10-Mar-2010 5:12 PM
EADS formally withdraws from USAF tanker bid
EADS confirmed (09-Mar-2010) that the Northrop Grumman/EADS team will not bid for the US Air Force Tanker replacement programme, as expected, following Northrop's statements last week. According to EADS, "the team had expressed serious concerns to the DoD and the US Air Force that the acquisition methodology outlined in the Request for Proposal (RFP) would heavily weigh the competition in favour of the smaller, less capable Boeing tanker. Northrop Grumman's analysis of the RFP reaffirmed those concerns and prompted the decision not to bid". EADS noted that the" A330 MRTT has been selected over the Boeing tanker in the last five consecutive competitions and will shortly enter service with several US allies".