Senate to Investigate DoD's Data Gaffe in Controversial Tanker CompetitionJanuary 07, 2011
 The Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin promised to investigate the release of data that showed that the Air Force’s analyses of rival bids to replace the aging refueling tankers gave higher marks to Airbus’s A330 tanker over Boeing’s 767 tanker in a mission-effectiveness test. While the Defense Department accidentally shared some bid data with both Boeing and the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS), Boeing executives believe that the Air Force's methodology favors EADS's bid in the controversial $40 billion competition to build refueling aerial tankers. Levin, a Michigan Democrat, said that he would hold at least one hearing in February to look into the release of information about each group’s proposals, according to Bloomberg News. "I am prepared to direct staff immediately to initiate an investigation into the release to determine if laws and fair competition regulations have been appropriately followed," Levin told Senator Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington State. Boeing's commercial airplane business is headquartered in her state. Levin agreed to investigate the information slip after Cantwell threatened to block the $725 billion defense policy bill, Bloomberg News reported. The Senate was pushing to approve the bill for fiscal 2011. She relented only after Levin agreed to investigate. (U.S. Air Force photo/Amanda Lopez) |
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