The Defense Department indicated Friday that it may extend a deadline for bids on a new aerial refueling tanker after European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co., the parent company of Airbus, asked for additional time to submit a proposal, drawing the ire of Senator Patty Murray, D-Wash.
EADS' U.S. bid partner Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC) was originally awarded the contract over a competing bid from Boeing Co. (BA), but the contract was negated after the Government Accountability Office found fault in the Pentagon's selection process.
Subsequently, Northrop Grumman announced on March 8 that it was dropping out of the race, which EADS Chief Louis Gallois called a "huge frustration."
"I am very disappointed that the Department of Defense is even considering giving in to Airbus and extending the hard deadline for tanker bids," Senator Murray said in a statement Friday. "I believe in a fair and open competition but this is no time to put American service members and workers on hold while a foreign company waffles."
She added that this is "typical of Airbus who has continually worked to extend deadlines and change the rules in the middle of the game. The Pentagon has gone through a fair and open process in putting out the RFP and requesting bids. They shouldn't cave to more games from a foreign competitor."
Murray further argued that Boeing is "committed to delivering on those requirements (that the Pentagon has set out for competition) at a price that's fair to taxpayers. Airbus has continually threatened to pull out if the requirements aren't changed in their favor."
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.