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Article: Air Force Lease With Boeing Still Under Fire
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- July 7, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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It had all the makings of a win-win situation, or so it first
seemed. The Air Force wanted new tanker aircraft but could not afford
to buy them outright. The Boeing Co. wanted to keep producing wide-
body 767 planes but lacked passenger aircraft orders.
So why not turn the jets into military tankers and lease them to
the Air Force?
That novel plan, which backers initially tried to slip through
Congress in 2001, ended up triggering nearly two years of sometimes
bitter wrangling among White House and Pentagon officials over price
and other terms. And despite announcement of a deal in late May, the
battle is not over.