New tankers should be built in U.S.

By Dave Loebsack

The Air Force is currently reviewing bids to replace the Eisenhower-era KC-X aerial refueling tankers. Bids have been submitted by both the American company Boeing and the French aerospace company EADS.

The current tanker fleet has served our country for roughly 50 years. Aerial refueling is the backbone of every mission undertaken by our men and women in uniform, and modernization of the fleet is critical to our Air Force and to our national security.

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have worked since 2007 to support the American workers who would build the next generation of tankers.

Ensuring that our sons and daughters have the best possible equipment is of the highest priority because it not only helps our troops complete their missions and strengthens our national security, it also creates good-paying jobs here at home.

I have said time and time again that we must start building things in America again. In Iowa, we manufacture and create equipment and tools that keep our troops safe, and I am proud of our contribution.

My bipartisan SECTORS bill, which has passed in the House of Representatives, aims to help strengthen American manufacturing and American industry through work force development and training. My bill will help create and save not only jobs, but also entire industries. Reinvigorating our manufacturing industry means keeping jobs here, at home, and not outsourcing critical national security technology and innovation jobs to places like France, Spain, and Germany.

I firmly believe that our trade and defense policies should protect American workers and assure that American companies can compete on a level playing field. The French company, EADS, has accepted subsidies from European governments. According to the World Trade Organization, these subsidies allowed the company to directly undercut market share from American companies like Boeing, costing America tens of thousands of jobs. The U.S. Trade Representative estimates that these subsidies cost at least 65,000 American aerospace jobs.

In Iowa alone, Boeing's tanker would support an estimated 800 jobs. Rockwell Collins' highly skilled work force would make critical contributions to the fleet and the Boeing tanker would put America's security in

the hands of American workers.

These quality aerospace jobs would put Iowans back to work and help create new business opportunities for suppliers and vendors. Boeing's tanker would generate around $40 million in annual economic impact to the Iowa economy and help bolster the kind of economic development and growth we need.

In addition to the economic impact, Boeing's bid is a better, more fuel-efficient tanker. Boeing's tanker has been designed to maximize fuel efficiency and will burn 24 percent less fuel than EADS' tanker. This will save nearly 1.4 billion gallons of fuel over the life of the aircraft, which will save taxpayers more than $10 billion. Furthermore, the EADS tanker would require hangars, ramps and runways to be rebuilt in order to sustain its weight and accommodate its size, costing taxpayers millions of dollars in infrastructure costs at a time when Iowans are tightening their belts.

As we work to rebuild our economy and strengthen our national security, it only makes sense that we would choose the proven, cost-effective, and Made-in-America tanker for our military. With the safety of our men and women in uniform and a $35 billion contract at stake, it is critical that the Pentagon gets this decision right.

Boeing's NewGen tanker is the best choice for the American military, our economy and the Iowa taxpayer.

Dave Loebsack of Mount Vernon is Iowa's 2nd District congressman. Comments: http://loebsack.house.gov/contactform/