“Boeing … they can't afford to lose this contest - the problem being they can't afford to win it either.....
For discussion - ‘what if’ one party wins the contract (Airbus), but the agreement is that other party (Boeing) ‘builds’ the aircraft.
Perhaps there is a behind the scenes Airbus – Boeing tie up (not commercial aircraft); thus benefiting both manufacturers and national aspirations. There may be inter governmental support – now why did Airbus rebid … ?
With the appearance of a third party (good, cheap alternative – for use elsewhere in the world) there would be even more impetus to have a managed, shared, world-wide solution – kill off the opposition.
The result would be to have the most suitable, cost-effective product; US manufacture (assembly or fitting) solves the US politics, but doesn’t exclude Airbus manufacture – or even building airframes for Boeing completion as well as world wide marketing.
Funnier things happen in aviation – fighters for bananas, commercial jets for shoes.