Boeing Company’s biggest apologist, Representative Norman Dicks (D-Wash) is starting to look foolish in his drive to help his benefactor gain a $35 billion contract to build and aerial refueling tanker. Dicks has probably been the most outspoken supporter of Boeing after the Seattle company lost the bid to build the tankers. Now he attacks the tanker deal, being re-bid because of irregularities in the bidding process, by attacking Alabama.

“I am very concerned whether Northrop Grumman can perform,” Dicks said Tuesday prior to a luncheon sponsored by the Truman National Security Project. “Look, they’re talking about importing all these components from Europe. And they don’t have a factory yet, they don’t have a work force, they don’t have a proven record like Boeing.

The Congressman is correct, the factory isn’t built. But then Boeing doesn’t have an airplane yet and wants to delay our warfighting capabilities six months while they try to design one. Nevermind the fact that tanker project has been on the boards for years.

The Congressman is further correct that the Northrop / EADS team does not have a record like Boeing. His company saw criminal charges last year arising from fraudulent activities in the bidding and acquisition process. And most recently, Boeing is facing fines from Italy due to their poor performance in building a tanker for the Italian Air Force - a tanker that is now at least three years behind schedule. Boeing served up similar delays for the Japanese recently too. No, we don’t have Boeing’s record.

As for Alabama’s workforce being inexperienced Dicks overlooks the decision by Thyssen-Krup to build a steel plant here in part because of our labor force. And he overlooks the fact that two major aviation firms are already in Mobile including Teledyne Continental and Mobile Aerospace. He also fails to remember that Huntsville (which is part of Alabama Congressman Dicks) has a wealth of aerospace workers and experience.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Obama campaign warns that they will not involve themselves in the tanker competition. Good news for the process - bad news for the Boeing apologists.

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