I know I won't defeat that "the fix is in" mentality, but the fact is that if sequestration - a political budgetary failing foisted upon all of us Americans - hits, the tanker contract will be only the poster boy for broken contracts.
No doubt to be let again later at higher prices.
This is another way the DoD is trying to let Congress and the President that their failure to enact budgets in the previous three, nearly four now, years, is coming home to roost come 1 Jan 13. And applying none too subtle pressure to pull their fingers out.
And, if a defense-industrial complex is going to get my tax dollars, I'd rather it be Boeing.
Also, those stories I've been regaled with by former/retired FAA and RAF aircrew about "bending the rules" in order to defeat a F-XX, or the "good show" bomb score due to creative TTPs is all in good fun, but the dastardly Yanks only cheat?
Riiiight...