Tuesday, February 16, 2010 Boeing's quiet moves in India

Don't be surprised if there's another upset in fighter sales. Brazil saw the Gipen lose to the Rafale because of totally unrelated issues. The F-18 might yet win in India for totally unrelated issues, too.

The news is that Boeing may respond within two weeks to initial requests for information from India for six refueling tankers, according to a company executive. In addition, Boeing begins field trials for the C-17 in spring. The Indian Air Force had earlier submitted a request to the U.S. government for the potential acquisition of 10 C-17s. This is on top of the fighter competition and the sale of P-8s. Boeing has a lot of chess pieces on the table.

Boeing is quietly doing a very big sales campaign in India. However, being India, they will have heard that the EADS tanker has won every competition it has had against Boeing's tanker. No doubt there will be an attempt by EADS to have a competition. Its a pity that EADS' large military freighter is not ready for a competition against the C-17. Such a competition would ensure India gets the deal of a lifetime.

In other news:

• Qantas sees green shoots
  


• Boeing tidbits increase - and the pendulum may be shifting
  


• London trash=bio fuel; advantage WW over SRB
  


• Tilton back on merger wagon
  

Subscribe to over 4,700 (and growing) analysis and opinion posts behind the headlines at Blackprogram