THE THREAD!!!

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

Martin, check this out!

tm.asp?m=2738610


Leo "Apollo11"

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

As expected...

Boeing wins contract to provide aerial tankers for USAF

Aircraft manufacturer Boeing has won a lucrative contract to provide the US with 179 aerial refuelling tankers.

By BBC





Boeing and European rival EADS had been competing for almost a decade for the $35bn (£21.6bn) US Air Force contract.

During that time both the US and the European Union have reported each other's companies to the WTO, alleging illegal subsidies.

And over the past decade two previous attempts to choose a contractor have failed.


'Right decision'

The USAF is replacing its current fleet of KC-135 Stratotanker tankers, some of which date back to the 1950s.

Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said there had been a careful and thorough selection process.

Now EADS has 10 days to file a protest with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the arm of Congress which deals with federal contract disputes, should it object to the decision.

The GAO would then need to make a decision within 100 days.

If it stands, the Boeing decision is good news for Washington state and Kansas, where much tanker work will be done.

Washington state senator, Patty Murray, swiftly welcomed the news.

"Today's long-awaited decision by the Pentagon is the right one for our military, our taxpayers and our nation's aerospace workers," she said in a statement.


Lengthy process

Boeing and EADS had both been offering variants on existing twin-engined passenger jets: the Boeing 767 and the Airbus A330.

An original plan was scrapped in 2004. Costing $23.5bn, it would have seen the airforce lease and then buy 100 modified Boeing 767s as tankers.

Then in early 2008 EADS, partnered with Northrop Grumman Corp, won a 179-plane deal.

That was then cancelled after government auditors upheld parts of a protest by Boeing.

Last year Northrop pulled out of the partnership, leaving EADS to bid alone.

The governors of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana had backed EADS' bid, as it was understood the European firm would have built its tankers in Mobile, Alabama.

[Hortlund]

Dreadful hangover-day

[Grollub]

Nothing that can't be cured by some icehockey - and beer! [;)]

Faceoff soon.

[Terminus]

Swedes...[:'(]

[Onime No Kyo]

Morning tithe.

[Onime No Kyo]

ORIGINAL: Grollub

Nothing that can't be cured by some icehockey - and beer! [;)]

Faceoff soon.

I cant disagree on the ICE hockey.....but FIELD hockey looks interesting as well. [:D]

[Terminus]

Dutch national field hockey team? Really?

His girlfriend isn't out of the picture for a week, and he's already straying...[:'(]

[Onime No Kyo]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Dutch national field hockey team? Really?

His girlfriend isn't out of the picture for a week, and he's already straying...[:'(]

Not even a week. She left on Wednesday. [:D]

But you have to admit that they are easier on the eyes than, say, these guys.... [:D]

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

Good afternoon tithe!

I am cooking myself some past and will eat it with salsa and parmesan... wife is at work...


Leo "Apollo11"

[oldman45]

I am glad I checked in this morning, didn't realize how appealing field hockey could be [;)]

[Grollub]

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

ORIGINAL: Grollub

Nothing that can't be cured by some icehockey - and beer! [;)]

Faceoff soon.

I cant disagree on the ICE hockey.....but FIELD hockey looks interesting as well. [:D]

Oh my ... I wouldn't say no to a little mud wrestling with that team ... [:'(][:D]

[Grollub]

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Dutch national field hockey team? Really?

His girlfriend isn't out of the picture for a week, and he's already straying...[:'(]

Not even a week. She left on Wednesday. [:D]

But you have to admit that they are easier on the eyes than, say, these guys.... [:D]

No comment on the guys - but that trophy looks quite nice! [:D]

[Grollub]

And now; more beer! [:'(]

[sprior]

17-9.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Dutch national field hockey team? Really?

His girlfriend isn't out of the picture for a week, and he's already straying...[:'(]

Not even a week. She left on Wednesday. [:D]

But you have to admit that they are easier on the eyes than, say, these guys.... [:D]

Comrade Red Mouse-when you're right, you're right! [;)]

[Terminus]

It's too bad it happens so rarely...[:D]

[Grollub]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

It's too bad it happens so rarely...[:D]

... and that coming from a Dane ... [:D]

ETA: ... unless your expressing your sorrow that Denmark never has won any medal whatsoever in ice hockey? [;)]

ETA2: or, if you're talking about the (few) times that Onime's right, then I heartily agree. [:'(]

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

It's too bad it happens so rarely...[:D]

I'll set 'em up. You knock 'em down...[:D]

[Terminus]

ORIGINAL: Grollub

ORIGINAL: Terminus

It's too bad it happens so rarely...[:D]

... and that coming from a Dane ... [:D]

ETA: ... unless your expressing your sorrow that Denmark never has won any medal whatsoever in ice hockey? [;)]

ETA2: or, if you're talking about the (few) times that Onime's right, then I heartily agree. [:'(]

Sorry, but the "sport" of ice hockey, aka an excuse for two teams of men with strangely bulbous foreheads and no teeth to beath each other with sticks has never really taken off here...[:'(]