'America's New Tanker' Garners "Tens Of Thousands" Of Letters, NGC Says

Two can play at that game. Responding to a flurry of recent press announcements by Boeing, attempting to garner public favor for its protest of the awarding of a lucrative US Air Force aerial refueling contract, Northrop Grumman recently launched its own "America's New Tanker" website "to inform the general public about the facts surrounding the US Air Force's selection of Northrop Grumman to deliver the KC-45 aerial refueling tanker aircraft."

"This website serves as a central point of accurate information and current news for Americans who want to learn the facts about the KC-45 Tanker -- from the 48,000 US jobs this program will support to how citizens can take action and contact their elected officials," said Randy Belote, Northrop Grumman vice president of corporate and international communications.

Northrop adds citizens across the nation have responded to the selection of the KC-45A, by generating "tens of thousands" of letters to their respective congressman, senators and governors in support of the Air Force's selection of Northrop Grumman to provide the KC-45 Tanker.

The website also offers a capability that enables visitors to receive e-mail news updates about the program. (One wonders what Boeing's response to this will be... perhaps the KC-767 will get its own MySpace page? Ed.)

"Following the Feb. 29 Air Force announcement that it had selected Northrop Grumman to build and deliver the new fleet of KC-45 aerial refueling tankers, supporters of the losing bidder spread misinformation about the basis for the Air Force's decision," Belote added. "We believe that citizens who visit the site will learn the facts surrounding the program - like the fact that the program is led by an American company, that the aircraft will be built in the United States in four new factories, and that the KC-45 is the superior tanker for our Airmen at best value for American taxpayers."

The KC-45 Tanker aircraft will create 48,000 new American jobs at 230 companies in 49 states. The aircraft will be assembled and modified at new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Mobile, AL while the KC-45's refueling systems will be built at new facilities in Bridgeport, WV and delivered to the KC-45 Production Center for aircraft integration.

The KC-45 will be built by a world-class industrial team led by Northrop Grumman, and includes EADS North America, GE Aviation, Sargent Fletcher, Honeywell, Parker, Goodrich, AAR Cargo Systems, Telephonics, Knight Aerospace, Astronics and Aircraft Safety.

FMI: www.americasnewtanker.com