Tanker announcement Thursday

The Air Force will announce a decision Thursday on the $35 billion tanker contract, according to multiple media reports. The Puget Sound Business Journal attributes confirmation to a spokesman for Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash; the Mobile Press-Register attributes it to industry and military officials; and WALA-TV cites the Mobile Chamber of Commerce. Boeing, which plans to build planes in Washington and Kansas, and EADS North America, which plans to assemble them in Mobile, Ala., are competing to build the 179 planes. (Sources: Multiple, 02/22/11)