WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) today criticized the Department of Defense’s decision to extend the deadline 60 days for proposals in the competition to select a new aerial refueling tanker.

“It is unfortunate that after years of delays, DOD has decided to ignore its own deadlines. Given the controversy of this acquisition, I should think DOD would want to run an undeniably fair competition instead of allowing further games to be played with the process. In school, turning your work in late automatically reduces your grade. Since this is a good indication of the poor ability of Airbus to submit an adequate proposal, it should be a mark against them from the start.

“I am concerned these kinds of concessions will mean yet another failed tanker competition. This kind of action is further evidence of why Americans don’t trust their government to get anything done on time and under budget.”

Senator Roberts continues to work in a bipartisan manner in behalf of Boeing workers.

-30-