europe to build america's military planes ?

[dick benbow]

I live in Boeing Country, so I am outraged that our own military would select a european company ( airbus) to build our refueling tankers. I find it unamerican at a time when our economy is also hurting. So how does the rest of the country think? Am I too influenced by my boeing connection or is this really something unamerican. what do you think?

[dinh]

Quote: Originally Posted by dick benbow I live in Boeing Country, so I am outraged that our own military would select a european company ( airbus) to build our refueling tankers. I find it unamerican at a time when our economy is also hurting. So how does the rest of the country think? Am I too influenced by my boeing connection or is this really something unamerican. what do you think?

This is just one of many things ....

You're not alone Dick....

[JohnW]

I feel the same, it's American boys it supports it should be American made in my opinion.

[Lomaponder]

I'm right beside you Dick. Isn't this the same company Airbus, (under the European Union), that was caught with an embarrassing situation a couple years back in regards to their "latest and greatest". It seems one country (which provided one part of the plane; I think the wings) was reading the plans wrong and they ended up having some of the key wiring being a couple of feet SHORT!

I have a friend, who is a commercial pilot. We were just discussing the quality of American vs. the other guys. He called it "piece of mind" knowing the quality of the plane and how much they can take on a day-to-day basis.

And also, I'm getting really tired of hearing these politicians talking out both sides of their mouths:
"We need to secure jobs", then out sourcing to another country. They need to be replaced/retired/rewired/re-educated.

[gspotmc]

eVER WONDER WHY FILMS ARE BEING DONE IN CANADA INSTEAD OF HERE IN THE MAINLAND. tHE COST OF RUNNING A BUSINESS HERE HAS BEEN SO OUTRAGEOUS AND WE HAVE'NT EVEN SEEN THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN YET. ASIAN COUNTRIES HAVE ALREADY TAKEN OVER THE CALL CENTER AGENCIES. MAJOR CORPORATIONS HAVE BEEN OUTSOURCING JOBS. TAKE FOR EXAMPLLE VONAGE THEIR TECH SUPPORT IS IN INDIA AND THE PHILIPPINES. THE COST OF MAINTAINING A COMPANY HAS GOTTEN SO OUTRAGEOUS EACH YEAR AND WORKERS COMPENSATION HAS NOT BEEN THAT AFFORDABLE TO BUSINESS EITHER. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD START DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THIS SITUATION.

[MysticKoi]

Yea… I worked in the aerospace biz for over 20 years. Always a roller coaster ride… good times, bad times, up and then down and then back up again. You lived or died by the next big government contract. We were sub-contractors for all the bigs; Boeing commercial/military, Lockheed-Martin, McDonnell Douglas, General Dynamics, Grumman, Northrop, and later even Airbus. When the Soviet Union fell, companies began scrambling to shift operations to more commercial and recreational ventures, as well as consolidate companies and positions for what was left. Tough times for all, and look at what is left of many of those companies.

Back when Airbus was starting to make inroads, a lot of my associates complained about the European government subsidies Airbus was getting. Not fair to the likes of Boeing that had to make or break it own their own dime. The company I worked for (Swiss based Ciba-Geigy, now called Novartis) was a foreign owned company and had a number of Europeans in the upper management ranks. They of course had a different perspective… Boeing was “subsidized” by way of the huge defense contracts they received from the US military machine. Anyway, after 20 years with Ciba, they sold out the entire division and I moved over into space systems, which at the time was booming (anyone remember the Iridium satellite system?).

So, I’ve been away from it all for a long time now, and really can’t say. But it appears that in this ever shrinking world, even the US military looks for value where it can… even at the expense of US jobs? Globalization indeed!

Regards,
Bill

[luke frisbee]

I come from a far different background..the South and the Military.
and here is why I like it....
I absolutley HATE the "American" bullshit touted by Anyone.
This is Planet Earth. Any isolatiion is wrong. We need to think in terms of EARTH. The more we have things built everywhere, needed by everyone, the less we will need Tanker planes to refuel OUR planes of WAR.
it really sucks that Boeing can't offer a better product at the same price, or even a similar product at that price point....Boeing is being outbid because AMERICAN workers aren't willing to work for less money in order to maintain the nation's security. Or the Boeing Company is wanting a greater profit than the companies overseas.

Amazing ain't it? Americans are the reason we can't build our own War machines.

but I like that. if other countries rely on our business they won't want us to get hurt by another country...or Planet.

BTW the non-unionized South has been the reason that the rest of the nation has made the Monet within the USA.... if you don't understand that I don't have time to explain it (but here is one bit for you to chew on....if you buy a car in Alabama it cost the same as a car in Michigan. the Industrial worker in Michigan makes 40bucks an hr. the same worker makes 15 dollars an hour in the South. they both do the same amount of work, producing the same amount of product per hr. A Southerner worked longer and had to produce more for the same vehicle).
We do the Same thing to other countries...we "get rich" off of their work and resources..we pay them pennies and resell it for much more.

[dick benbow]

but the truth is the american built plane was way under the cost of the European one

[gspotmc]

Quote: Originally Posted by dick benbow but the truth is the american built plane was way under the cost of the European one

RED TAPE I GUESS

[luke frisbee]

Quote: Originally Posted by dick benbow but the truth is the american built plane was way under the cost of the European one

REALLY! when the life of the vehicle has been factored in, they are still cheaper?
well then I don't have a clue...
unless it is tit for tat...
maybe we make something they use for their military here?