So much for Airbus being the new aerospace darling of the Deep South, which is courtesy of the future, US Air Force-sponsored, A330-200 assembly facility in Mobile.
As of this morning, Boeing is the proud joint-owner of a major aircraft assembly center in Charleston, South Carolina. Boeing bought out Vought's share in Global Aeronautica, a 50-50 joint venture with Italy's Alenia.
The Charleston plant assembles aft fuselage sections for the 787 and ships the structures to Boeing's huge assembly center in Everett, Washington.
Boeing now has a manufacturing presence in the deep south to rival that of Airbus. I have to think that somehow this fact will play in a role in the unfolding tanker war between Boeing and the USAF over the award of a $35 billion tanker contract to Northrop Grumman and Airbus-affiliate EADS North America.
Northrop: it's your move.
on March 31, 2008 10:49 AM | Reply
Well, the move may put a Boeing sticker on a site, but as they were already putting work there, it doesn't really even add up to a PR "victory", does it?
Could even add to the doubts of the US govt's authorities about "successful performance", couldn't it, if that's a factor in the GAO's examination of the Boeing protest over losing to N-G/EADS ...
JOhn Price