Northrop Grumman Remains Under Air Force Contract; Ready Now with America’s New Tanker

Written by thomas · Filed Under Aeronautics News 

June 20, 2008

thomas

WASHINGTON, June 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — As the Air Force reviews
the analysis in this week’s report from the GAO, Northrop Grumman
Corporation (NYSE: NOC) urges a speedy resolution of the issue.

“We respect the GAO process and are confident the Air Force will
appropriately address its recommendations,” said Paul Meyer, Northrop
Grumman vice president of Air Mobility Systems and KC-45 program manager.
“However, the GAO report does not change the fact that a new fleet of
tankers is needed now, and Northrop Grumman is ready now,” said Meyer.
“Northrop Grumman remains under contract and remains ready to serve with
the most modern, most capable tanker in the world.”

“Any significant delay only punishes the men and women who are forced
to fly an aging fleet,” he added.

On the floor of the United States Senate, yesterday, Alabama Senator
Jeff Sessions said that it is critical “that politics not infect the
process and that they select the best aircraft for the military.”

Nothing in the GAO report points to any need for delay, as it was a
review of the process, not the Boeing and Northrop Grumman product
offerings. As the GAO said in its initial release, “Our decision should not
be read to reflect a view as to the merits of the firms’ respective
aircraft.”

“We agree and, in fact, Northrop Grumman is the only company in this
competition that has built, tested and flown its tanker aircraft,” said
Meyer, adding, “We’re also the only company that has a refueling boom that
has been built and that has successfully passed fuel dozens of times to
combat aircraft.”

“The Air Force needs a new tanker, and nothing in the GAO report
refutes the fact that the Northrop Grumman KC-45 is the most capable tanker
and is ready now to go into production,” he added.

“Our men and women in uniform should not be asked to wait any longer.”

About the KC-45

The KC-45 Tanker aircraft will be assembled in Mobile, Ala., and the
KC-45 team will employ 48,000 American workers at 230 U.S. companies in 49
states. It will be built by a world-class industrial team led by Northrop
Grumman, and includes EADS North America, General Electric Aviation and
Sargent Fletcher.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company
whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions
in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to
government and commercial customers worldwide.

SOURCE Northrop Grumman Corporation

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