The Farnborough Air Show in England last week proved to be busy time for aviation and defense types—with a little sniping thrown in as well. It all started with Boeing Chairman James McNerney throwing a barb at EADS by asserting that the European company does not have to adhere to certain US regulations governing the export of military hardware. Speaking with the Seattle Times, EADS North America Chairman Ralph Crosby said that McNerney was “just patently wrong” about his assertions, adding that EADS bid on the competitive Air Force tanker contract as a subcontractor to Northrop Grumman—an American company that is subject to all US trade regulations and military sales legislation. “EADS operates by a strong code of conduct,” Crosby added.
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…