EADS North America has its eye on the Air Force’s tanker competition and more, leading it to push its political action committee to aid the European-based company’s drive for more of the American defense pie, reports the Congressional newspaper, The Hill. (Read our June 2006 article on “The European Invasion.”) The Hill’s Roxana Tiron says that the EADS North America: Americans for Competition in Aerospace PAC is in its infancy when it comes to US defense industry giants, but it is growing. The PAC has contributed to open competition senators, including Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sen. John Warner (R-Va.). Will it be enough to persuade diehard “buy American” lawmakers, like Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), who still has concerns over foreign ownership as well as foreign competition
Secretary of Defense Austin Lloyd III met with his counterparts from Australia, Japan and the Philippines to discuss bolstering defense ties on May 2. The discussion included plans for joint F-35 exercises with Japan and Australia in the coming years.