Boeing?s Tanker Deal Springs A Leak
In 2002, Congress passed an initiative that gave permission to the Department of Defense to look for new aerial refueling planes. The new plane would replace the current KC-135 tankers used by the US Air Force. Airplane-maker and defense contractor Boeing, based in Chicago, and Airbus, the leading airplane maker of Europe, were the two main competitors for the contract. After a couple months of bidding, Boeing won the contract. Boeing was going to be leasing 20, and selling 80 more, converted 767 aerial re-fuelers to the government for a total price tag of $23.5 billion. Just two weeks ago, it was revealed by the Defense Department that the deal was put on immediate hold, after allegations of wrongdoing were put forth. Two separate inquires by the Industrial College of the Armed Forces showed that the contract was won even before bidding started and that the Pentagon did not use the full buying power it had to gain the best possible price. The inquiry was ordered after Boeing fired its Chief Financial Officer Michael Sears, and new executive Darleen Druyun. The report states the Sears was in talks with Druyun, who at the time was the handler of contracts for
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