Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has jumped on the tanker bandwagon, saying—in a Boeing release—that St. Louis-based Boeing “is ready and able to deliver the US Air Force’s next-generation tanker.” Boeing reveals that the state of Illinois would see about $140 million a year in economic activity if Boeing wins the Air Force’s KC-X aerial refueling aircraft replacement program. Alabama elected officials have met with Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne to ensure fair consideration for the Northrop Grumman-EADS North America team, which plans to produce its KC-30 tanker in Alabama should it win the competition.
Gas is king in the vast expanse of the Pacific. And as the Pentagon has sought to build up its capability to deter China, the Department of Defense has undergone a major rethink about how to get fuel to the region. At the heart of the effort is the U.S. Transportation…