07.11.03

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell Applauds U.S. Air Force Decision to Lease 100 Boeing 767 Aircraft

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Air Force began the last stage for finalizing a deal to lease 100 Boeing 767 planes to replace its aging military tanker fleet. The planes will be assembled at Boeing's Everett plant. At least 32 of the planes will go to Fairchild Air Force Base and the lease is expected to result in nearly 8,000 jobs in Washington state.

Cantwell explained, "Landing the Boeing tanker deal will help keep the Air Force in the air. Our nation has the best-trained pilots and now they will be able to fly the best planes. The aging air tankers are more than 40 years old – older than many of the pilots who fly them. This deal will help modernize our tanker fleet without jeopardizing other critical weapons programs and military readiness. It will give the U.S. Air Force the immediate upgrade it needs.";

Secretary of the U.S. Air Force James Roache wrote, "The dominant reason for proposing the lease is the advantage it affords for quickly delivering needed tankers to our warfighters without requiring significant upfront funding. Such upfront funding would harm combat capability.";

Cantwell added, "Not only is the lease agreement good for national defense and America's taxpayers, it will reap benefits for the Northwest economy, too. Once production begins, nearly 8,000 jobs will be created in the Puget Sound area."