Cantwell: Boeing tanker deal worth 12K Washington state jobs

If Boeing Co. gets the contract to build the U.S. Air Force’s new tanker refueling aircraft, it will create up to 71,000 jobs in the U.S., including some 12,000 new jobs in Washington state, according to U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell.

The Democratic senator from Washington cited a report by Sonecon LLC, which said that if Boeing develops and produces the tanker, it should lead to the creation of an estimated 62,605 to 70,706 U.S. jobs over the life of the contract.

Cantwell said she’s been assured by management of Chicago-based aerospace giant Boeing (NYSE: BA) that the “bulk” of the tanker work would be done in Washington state, as well as at Boeing facilities in St. Louis and Wichita, Kan.

“The great thing about our aerospace industrial base is that it translates into good jobs and long-term employment in Washington state and around the country. This report demonstrates that having a U.S.-based contractor build the tanker aircraft will protect and generate engineering and manufacturing jobs in Washington and around the country for 20 to 30 years,” Cantwell said in a statement.

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