U.S. Air Force Selects Northrop Grumman to Provide the New KC-45A Aerial Refueling Tanker

[L. Coyote]

No politization of defense spending here. Move along.

==============
U.S. Air Force Selects Northrop Grumman to Provide the New KC-45A Aerial Refueling Tanker
http://www.northropgrumman.com/

February 29, 2008—Northrop Grumman announced today that it has been selected by the U.S. Air Force to provide the KC-45A aerial refueling tanker for the KC-135 tanker replacement program. The Air Force’s KC-45A is based on the highly-successful A330 commercial airframe, produced by EADS. Read the News Release:

http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.html?d=137410
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 29, 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) announced today that it has been selected by the U.S. Air Force to provide the KC-45A aerial refueling tanker for the KC-135 tanker replacement program. The Air Force's KC-45A is based on the highly-successful A330 commercial airframe, produced by EADS.

"We are excited to partner with the Air Force for their number one acquisition priority, the KC-45A Tanker," said Ronald D. Sugar, Northrop Grumman chairman and chief executive officer. "Northrop Grumman's vast expertise in aerospace design, development and systems integration will ensure our nation's warfighters receive the most capable and versatile tanker ever built. The Northrop Grumman KC-45A tanker will be a game changer."

The initial KC-45A contract provides four System Design and Development aircraft and is valued at $1.5 billion. The first KC-45A airframe completed its first flight on Sept. 25, 2007 and will now begin military conversion to the tanker configuration. The KC-45A's Aerial Refueling Boom System is currently in flight test and has successfully performed numerous in-flight contacts with receiver aircraft.

"Clearly the U.S. Air Force conducted a thorough and transparent competition in choosing their new tanker, which resulted in selection of the aircraft that best meets their current and future requirements," said Gary Ervin, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector. "By selecting the most capable and modern aircraft, the Air Force has embraced a system that provides a best-value solution to our armed forces and our nation."

The KC-45A Tanker aircraft will be assembled at new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Mobile, Ala., and will employ 25,000 workers at 230 U.S. companies. The KC-45A's refueling systems will be built at new facilities in Bridgeport, W.Va., and delivered to the KC-45A Production Center for aircraft integration.

The KC-45A will be built by a world-class industrial team led by Northrop Grumman, and includes primary subcontractor EADS North America and General Electric Aviation, Sargent Fletcher, Honeywell, Parker, AAR Cargo Systems, Telephonics and Knight Aerospace.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $32 billion global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

[movonne]

1. Duh....

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. Why don't they just create an energy grid around the world that military aircraft can tap directly?

They could call it Project Flashlight.

[L. Coyote]

3. opensecrets.org NORTHROP GRUMMAN

(Why does the connection reset when I try to go to opensecrets.org?)

Results: http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?key=6y2dx&txtName=Northrop%20Grumman&txtState=(all%20states)&txtAll=Y&Order=A
62 records = Total for this search: $1,306,100.00

5/9/2001 $100,000 2001 President's Dinner/Non-Fed Trust
12/4/2001 $75,000 NRSC/Non-Federal
10/17/2002 $75,000 NRSC/Non-Federal
5/31/2002 $100,000 2002 President's Dinner/Non-Fed Trust
6/12/2002 $80,000 2002 President's Dinner/Non-Fed Trust
6/25/2002 $100,000 2002 President's Dinner/Non-Fed Trust

...............

[L. Coyote]

5. 2006 Total Lobbying Expenditures: $16,729,865

NORTHROP GRUMMAN
Client Summary, 2007 Total Lobbying Expenditures: $5,708,100
Barbour, Griffith & Rogers = $240,000 (AT&T, Verizon Lobbyist)
Tucker, Patrick = $120,000
Carter Consulting = $110,000

Client Summary, 2006 Total Lobbying Expenditures: $16,729,865
Campbell, John G = $196,995
Carter Consulting = $120,000
O'Toole, Diane = $120,000
Robison International = $120,000
McBee Strategic Consulting = $120,000
Jackson, Alvin G = $100,000

Client Summary, 2005 Total Lobbying Expenditures: $13,660,000
Pillsbury, Winthrop et al = $220,000
Campbell, John G = $200,000
Tucker, Patrick = $180,000
Wight, Bill = $120,000
O'Toole, Diane = $120,000

Client Summary, 2004 Total Lobbying Expenditures: $12,566,000
Client Summary, 2003 Total Lobbying Expenditures: $10,410,936
Client Summary, 2002 Total Lobbying Expenditures: $11,770,618
Client Summary, 2001 Total Lobbying Expenditures: $12,508,129

========================
Donor name: Campbell, John G
Results: http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?key=5ezh3&txtName=Campbell,%20John%20G&txtState=(all%20states)&txtAll=Y&Order=A
170 records Total for this search: $156,690
3/14/1995 $10,000 National Republican Senatorial Cmte
3/19/1996 $10,000 National Republican Senatorial Cmte
2/12/1997 $10,000 National Republican Senatorial Cmte
$5,000 Searchlight Leadership Fund
$5,000 Northern Lights PAC
Help America's Leaders
Virginia Leadership PAC
Cmte for a Democratic Majority
Fund for a Conservative Future
Grassroots Victory Fund
Defend America PAC
Hatch, Orrin
Sessions, Jeff
Shelby, Richard C
Riley, Bob
Burns, Conrad
Bush, George W
Stevens, Ted
American Osteopathic Assn

[leftrightwingnut]

15. Why are individuals limited to $2500 but corporations are not?

Does anyone think that limiting corporate contributions would be a good idea?

It makes sense to limit individuals since we do not want any single individual to have undue influence on our government.

Doesn't the same notion apply to corporations?

[L. Coyote]

16. opensecrets.org reports individual contributions, grouped by employer

Of course, there is a difference between soft money and campaign contributions, and the PAC rules have changed over recent time. But, the databases may reflect totals by individuals as donations grouped by the organization.

Donor Lookup: = http://opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00007360&cycle=2008
Find Individual and Soft Money Contributors

HOW TO READ ..... The organizations themselves did not donate, rather the money came from the organization's PAC, its individual members or employees or owners, and those individuals' immediate families. Organization totals include subsidiaries and affiliates.

Why (and How) We Use Donors’ Employer/Occupation Information http://opensecrets.org/politicians/methodology_pop.asp

METHODOLOGY = http://opensecrets.org/politicians/methodnote_pop.asp

[L. Coyote]

11. RANDY "DUKE" CUNNINGHAM: Top Contributors #3 = Northrop Grumman $74,250

RANDY "DUKE" CUNNINGHAM: CAREER PROFILE (SINCE 1989)
Top Contributors http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allcontrib.asp?CID=N00007050

1  	Carlyle Group    	$78,040
2 	Lockheed Martin 	$75,219
3 	Northrop Grumman 	$74,250
4  	General Dynamics  	$69,575
5 	Cubic Corp 	        $68,897
6 	General Atomics 	$63,050

14  	Titan Corp  	$42,250

[L. Coyote]

12. JERRY LEWIS: Top Contributors #4 = Northrop Grumman $78,250

JERRY LEWIS: CAREER PROFILE (SINCE 1989)
Top Contributors http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allcontrib.asp?CID=N00007087

1 General Atomics $87,500
2 United Parcel Service $82,750
3 National Assn of Realtors $82,250
4 Northrop Grumman $78,250
5 Lockheed Martin $76,750
6 Natl Assn/Insurance & Financial Advisors $76,000
7 General Dynamics $63,749
8 National Assn of Home Builders $62,000
9 Boeing Co $57,000
10 AT&T Inc $54,900
11 SAIC Inc $54,250
12 United Technologies $54,000
13 American Medical Assn $52,500
14 PMA Group $51,199
15 L-3 Communications $46,500
16 Raytheon Co $45,500

......

[L. Coyote]

21. Cast of Characters showing up in this research is the same as the Rep. Convicts list

The parallels are obvious. What is the BIG PICTURE here?

Has defense contracting been corrupted at far higher levels than so far revealed?

Does corruption of HUGE defense contracts underlie corruption of Alabama politics?

Does control of state and federal prosecutions in Alabama enable defense corruption?

[DemoTex]

4. Hey Coyote! Guess which US Congressional District benefits the most from this: Alabama 1st!

And the 1st Congressional District of Alabama was where Riley/Rove stole the election for Alabama governor from Siegelman in November, 2002! Baldwin County. After the polls closed. In the dark of night. With no poll watchers present.

This story has Champagne corks a-poppin' all over Mobile and Baldwin County today. My ultra-rightwing Bu$h-lovin' sister just called me from Fairhope (Trof-country), as giddy as a school girl. It is big, big news there. I smell a political rat.

[L. Coyote]

7. Alabama Wedding? Politicization of Justice LOVES Politicization of Defense Spending.

Follow the money.

[northzax]

6. politicization?

Boeing tried to rig the system and got caught on this deal. since there are only two bidders in the US reasonably capable of doing the job, NG was in the driver's seat.

[L. Coyote]

8. Thanks. ?? "rig the system" ??

You can't edit this message because the editing period has expired.

[northzax]

9. ?

I don't follow your post. But basically, the tanker deal was intended for Boeing as compensation for losing the JSF contract to Lockheed Martin and Northrup Grumman (the idea being that it would maintain some level of competition in aerospace)

Boeing then proceeded to,basically, bribe the hell out of procurement officers in the Air Force to solidify the deal. Bad idea.

[L. Coyote]

10. Ahh. Bush Air Force Secretary resigned over a Boeing procurement scandal.

Ethics questions dog California congressman; Owned cabin with Air Force Secretary
Miriam Raftery - http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Congressman_tied_to_contractors_bribery_coconspirators_1214.html


..... Air Force Secretary James Roche ... resigned following a procurement scandal involving an Air Force officer steering lucrative contracts to Boeing – a major Hunter contributor.

Roche resigned days before Senator John McCain revealed internal Air Force e-mails which indicated that a deal to convert passenger planes into military refueling tankers and lease them from Boeing amounted to a “bailout” for Boeing. The Washington Post published excerpts on June 7, indicating that the White House had blacked out references to Congressional members who pressured the Pentagon to back the deal, which was ultimately scrapped.

Scandals involving Boeing and the dubious tanker deal previously resulted in criminal conviction of two Boeing executives for illegally negotiating a job for an Air Force contracting officer who held sway over a multi-billion dollar contract sought by Boeing. Air Force acquisition official Darleen A. Druyun was also prosecuted and jailed. Geren has called Druyen’s actions “shameful.” ............

[L. Coyote]

13. Sens. Shelby, Sessions, = TOP Senate Recipients of Funding From Missile Defense Contractors

http://www.worldpolicy.org/projects/arms/reports/web_appendix.html
Top 15 Senate Recipients of Funding From Missile Defense Contractors, 2001-2006

1 = $204,334 = Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) Member, Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense
.. Sparta, Collazo/Colsa, Boeing, Computer Sciences Corp., Teledyne, Miltec, CSC, Northrop Grumman, SAIC, Digital Fusion, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon

2 = $145,250 = Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) Member, Armed Services Subcommittee on Airland Forces, Chairman, Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, Member, Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
.. Collazo/Colsa, Dynetics, TRW, Orbital Sciences, Lockheed Martin, Teledyne, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, Sparta, Boeing, SAIC

3 = $120,750 = Sen. Christopher Bond (R-MO) Member, Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense

FROM: REPORTS

Tangled Web 2005: A Profile of the Missile Defense and Space Weapons Lobbies by William D. Hartung with Frida Berrigan, Michelle Ciarrocca, and Jonathan Wingo

Appendices

[L. Coyote]

14. opensecrets.org LOBBYING DATABASE Top Spenders #9 Northrop Grumman = $101,390,474

http://www.opensecrets.org/lobbyists/firmsum.asp?txtname=Pillsbury%2C+Winthrop+et+al&year=2007
LOBBYING DATABASE:

Top Spenders, 1998-2007

#1 = US Chamber of Commerce $357,384,680
#2 = General Electric $153,210,000

#9 = Northrop Grumman $101,390,474

[L. Coyote]

17. visibility kick

[L. Coyote]

27. ditto

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

18. Billions of more dollars for the Military Industrial Complex.....

[L. Coyote]

23. This is one of the biggest of the huge DEALs the military makes. $$ 35 BILLION

A fleet of 130 refueling tankers = $35 billion contract

[L. Coyote]

19. NPR just covered some of the political backlash in Congress.

It ain't over yet!

[L. Coyote]

20. There will be hearings on "sending jobs to Europe" it seems. GOOOOOOD!

Boeing is still a lobbyist too! And, the jobs do NOT ship to Europe if Boeing wins the contract.

This is quickly becoming political on the surface too. Wonder why?? LOL

[L. Coyote]

22. NPR, right now, doing a long report on the hearing yesterday.

Congress unhappy, but what action will it take. Northrop Grumman celebrating! No mention of corruption.

Is this the beginning of outsourcing all US defense contracts?

My best guess today: Corruption determines that moreso than the People's Congress!

[L. Coyote]

24. Air Force explaining tanker decision to Boeing = ? an "irregularity" in the proposal

Air Force explaining tanker decision to Boeing tomorrow
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS - http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_wa_air_force_tankers.html

WASHINGTON -- The Air Force will brief Boeing tomorrow ...

Congressman Norm Dicks accuses the Air Force of "bait and switch" ...

The Air Force says the Airbus-Northrop Grumman plane is the better all-around performer. Defense Secretary Robert Gates stands behind the decision.

The head of Boeing's Integrated Defense Systems unit, Jim Albaugh, says Boeing offered its 767 because the company thought that plane offered the size and flexibility the Air Force wanted. He says Boeing was discouraged from offering a tanker based on the larger 777.

But he says Boeing will protest the decision only if it thinks there was an "irregularity" in the proposal phase.

[L. Coyote]

25. Northrop Grumman Selected for First Phase of DARPA F6 Next-Generation Wireless Satellite Network

Source: Northrop Grumman Corp. - http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/news.html?d=137667
Northrop Grumman Selected for First Phase of DARPA F6 Next-Generation Wireless Satellite Network

REDONDO BEACH, Calif., March 5, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded the first phase of a four phase advanced research contract to design and build a cluster of wirelessly interconnected free flying spacecraft.

Awarded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Phase 1 of the Future, Flexible, Fast, Fractionated, Free-Flying, Spacecraft united by Information Exchange (F6) program is a 12-month study of ways to break up a typical monolithic satellite into distributed modules. In Phase 1, Northrop Grumman will develop a satellite-to-satellite wireless network, a distributed command and control system, and network protocols.

Rather than being assembled onto a monolithic bus satellite, components of the F6 are distributed onto separate spacecraft modules. By the end of the first phase, Northrop Grumman will demonstrate essential networking and communications capabilities, will present a preliminary design and will prove the business case for this strategy. An actual flight demonstration composed of multiple satellites will be developed in subsequent phases.

The functionality of a traditional satellite will be reconstituted by a cluster of wirelessly interconnected spacecraft modules that fly in approximately the same orbit while flying freely in space. In this distributed virtual satellite system ........

[L. Coyote]

26. Northrop Grumman wins $239M air force weather agency contract

Northrop Grumman wins $239M air force weather agency contract
March 03, 2008: 03:53 PM EST - http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/newstex/AFX-0013-23491833.htm


SAN FRANCISCO, Mar. 3, 2008 (Thomson Financial delivered by Newstex) -- Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) Corp. said Monday it has been awarded the U.S. Air Force weather agency systems engineering, management and sustainment (SEMS) II contract, valued at $239 million.

The contract includes a one-year base and four option years.

The SEMS II program provides system support for the Air Force Weather Agency, the largest supplier of weather data for military users worldwide in support of frontline combat operations, mission planning, and routine flight operations, Los Angeles-based Northrop said.

Shares of Northrop rose 4.7% to $82.30. ..............