Dicks: Tanker Pick “Catastrophic Fiasco

The Boeing Company filed its protest against the Air Force on Tuesday afternoon. The outcome will be decided by a body of lawyers that make up the Government Accountability Office.

They have until June 19th to make a recommendation about the competition.

In a prepared press release, Boeing says that the competition against Northrop Grumman to build the new air refuelers was unfair.

The aerospace company believes the military manipulated the criteria to favor the Northrop team. Boeing also believes that the Northrop/EADS tanker is more expensive and risky.

The decision has divided the Northwest and the Southeast!

Mobile Mayor Sam Jones went to Washington on Tuesday and has the support of Congressman Artur Davis from Birmingham. 'We've always said in Mobile all we wanted was competition to be graded on the merits of the competition. We appear to have won on the merits and that's what we think the competition should be about. What's best for the men and women who represent all of us in the Armed Forces of the United States."

Congressman Norm Dicks from Washington State doesn't believe the contest was fair and is outraged by the decision. He addressed the Air Force about the choice. "This is gonna be a catastrophic fiasco that is going to hurt the reputation of the United States Air Force. You two are the leaders, I implore you to go back and take another look at this and do what we have suggested... redo this competition."