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.
The Space Development Agency launched its first two batches of operational satellites last fall in what was supposed to be the start of a 10-month campaign to populate its proliferated data transport and missile tracking constellation. Six months later, the agency and its vendors have yet to move those first…