Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Governor Culver Supports Air Force's Refueling Aircraft Contract To Boeing, Rockwell Collins, Inc.
(Des Moines)- Governor Chet Culver sent a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressing support for awarding the Air Force’s aerial refueling tanker aircraft contract to the Boeing team’s entry. This award would further national security interests and support a variety of industries in the U.S. economy, including here in Iowa. The letter has the support of Congressman Dave Loebsack from Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.
The Boeing Company has over 75 years of building and supporting tankers. At present, the KC-767 is the most capable and best-value tanker for the Air Force’s current and future requirements. In addition, the KC-767 tanker is already flying in several countries and it offers the lowest risk.
This $40 billion Air Force contract could support 44,000 well-paying, highly-skilled American jobs with over 300 companies in the defense manufacturing industry. In Iowa, that would translate to an estimated 1,600 jobs and would create roughly $60 million in economic investment, much of it at a key Iowa supplier, Cedar Rapid’s own Rockwell Collins, Incorporated.
Governor Culver said, “Iowa’s well-educated and well-trained workforce is ready and able to provide the support necessary to assure our military is the best equipped and most ably supported fighting force in the world.”
Congressman Dave Loebsack said, “The state of Iowa has a well-deserved reputation as a leader in innovation, and Rockwell Collins is at the forefront of the cutting-edge technological development for which our state is known. I am pleased to be working with Governor Culver to enhance our national security and expand Iowa’s economy by supporting 1,600 new high-paying jobs. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I recognize the Boeing-Rockwell Collins team is uniquely qualified to transform our country’s aerial refueling capability into a truly 21st century force.”
Governor Culver reasoned that awarding this contract to an American company would preserve U.S. interests, while granting a non-U.S.-based entry the contract would send tens of thousands of American manufacturing jobs to Europe and keep important technical expertise in foreign hands. “I am concerned that this could leave us precariously dependent on foreign contractors for our most important military equipment,” said Governor Culver.