That has not dragged.
Twenty-four hours after lunch Nicolas Sarkozy at Ben's Chili Bowl, the Pentagon held a press conference to announce a formal extension of time to compete in the tanker market.
If EADS wants, she can make an offer, said spokesman Geoff Morrell.
But it will go fast. The deadline for tender is 60 days.

The issue was raised at Tuesday's press conference Obama / Sarkozy.
The French president said he had confidence in Obama.
The U.S. president said he had confidence in Robert Gates, to ensure that the process will be "free, fair and open. But you could see he did not like much the issue.

- ”An open competition is in our interests and those of American taxpayers. We must avoid the all-protectionism "Has he said.

But Barack Obama also reiterated U.S. procedures.
- ”Our European friends must understand the United States, the defense minister takes its own decisions ". 

The period is shorter than that requested by EADS (90 days). But it is true that the defense minister was taken to task by several members of Congress.
Elected officials in Kansas and Washington state (supporting Boeing) found the delay unacceptable.
They are part of a group of eight senators who wrote to President Wednesday to report that Airbus has received billions of "illegal subsidies", according to the WTO.

In short, the battle continues ...
PS: Do not forget to watch the French decisions on Afghanistan.

DoD News Briefing with Geoff Morrell is the KC-X Tanker from the Pentagon

MR. Morrell: Sorry to keep you waiting. Good evening. Thanks for coming at this late hour.

I have a short announcement on the KC-X competition.

As you know, late last month the department Announced the final KC-X request for proposal, the Air Force Requirements Unveiled for the replacement tanker and set May 10th as the deadline for bids to Be Submitted. Deputy Secretary Bill Lynn made it clear Then That we are Committed to a fair, open and transparent competition in order to get the best airplane to warfighters o Has the best value to the taxpayers.

Recently the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company Indicated Interest in a possible Competing and Asked For Some Time - some more time, That Is - to prepare a bid. This afternoon the Defense Department and Boeing EADS Both Informed That if we Receive formal notification from EADS of Their intention to make an offer, we extend the deadline for Will bids from the May 10th to July 9th. That would Provide Both EADS and Boeing with Another 60 days to submit Their Propositions. It Is Not uncommon to grant reasonable extensions of competitions in this fate, and 60 days we Consider To Be reasonable in this case.

That IS flat Given this long overdue and we want - and we do not want to slip ITS delivery date "any later" Than it Already down below, we are Prepared to compress o bid evaluation period "to stay as close to the original award schedule as possible, so Still have to award the contract early this fall.

No one should "confused o additional willingness to extend the bid deadline with additional willingness to change" any of the plane's gold the Way militaire Requirements Will Be Evaluated bids.

Finally, There Are Those Who Have Suggested That politics, Both local and international Have Influenced Somehow this process. Nothing Could Be Further From The Truth. We Have Been and continues to make decisions on this critical program based Solely On The Law Of The Land and the Needs of Our warfighters. to That weekend, as the deputy secretary Said last month, We Will continue to play this straight down the middle.

Thanks for your time this evening. Appreciate it.

Q Question?

MR. Morrell: I'll take one or two. What's up, Tony?

Q Sean O'Keefe is with you today - the Pentagon. What are The Reasons THEY sacrifice part of the needed 60-day extension for? Was it to get a partner to review the briefing materials Northrop HAD access to? Just, can you give-Some clarity to that?

MR. Morrell: I do not think it's appropriate "for me to speak to the Needs THEY Expressed to us.'re Certainly capable of calling up the company yourself and Asking Them If They wish to Disclose That Information.'m One Of The Reasons not comfortable doing so Is That Many of the issues discussed That Were "involve proprietary information, so It Would Be Inappropriate to Discuss it for me from the podium, or anywhere else, for that Matter.

Q Do you get a - Did You get year - Did You get year indication, Though, That They Are Interested in bidding gravement this program or would bid if the extension Was Granted?

MR. Morrell: I do not think we would HAVING Be the conversations That We Have Been UNLESS HAVING They Were gravement considering a bid.

Yeah, Amy.

Q You Said If You Received formal notification. Do You Know What the last - the long pole in the tent Is To get the formal notification?

MR. Morrell: No, you'd Have to ask 'em. I mean, They've made it clear, I think, in reading your sacrifice part of press accounts of the current situation to "intend" That THEY make this decision in the next couple of weeks . That Seems like a reasonable period "of time to us. And if We Were to Receive That formal notification, we would go ahead and Then extend the deadline for bids by 60 days, we have discussed.

Yeah, Roxanna.

Q Did you get a sense from EADS, from your discussions, That 60 days would Be Enough for Them to bid? I know THEY Asked For 90 days, ESSENTIALLY, and you Said 60 days IS reasonable. Do you get the sense That It's somewhere in the middle And They Would Be Able to compete?

MR. Morrell: I Think They Are the Best People to speak to That. I mean, Obviously, They Have Asked for 90 days. We Think That 60 Days Is a Reasonable Amount of Time, Given the Needs That Were Expressed to us; balanced, ALSO , o Against desire to move on with this as possible and try as Quickly hairpins have to seek with the clouds as we can award the original schedule. And I have Mentioned, we are Willing To compress time so as o assessment to award this contract Still in the early fall.

Yeah.

Q With the significance of this competition, you're - by Compressing the time. How do you plan to do that? Do You Plan to Bring extra people in to read it?

And yesterday, General Schwartz Really Said 60 days - or 60-year extension of up to 90 days - really will not matter for IOC [Initial Operating capability]. Why compress it at all?

MR. Morrell: We want to schedule the hairpins as best we can. This long-overdue program IS. The Tanker Replacement Is a Critical Need for o warfighters. And we can Believe That We compress the evaluation period "in order to Somewhat pretty hairpins seek with the clouds to the original award schedule. And if we can do it, we want to do it, and so that's o intent.

Okay, last one. Jen.

To What Extent Q Is The - you know, by getting the award in September, and Before the November elections, important?

MR. Morrell: Politics are not a part of this process - Never Have Been, Never Will Be. As I Mentioned in my opening statement, we are basing this Strictly On The Needs of the warfighter, the law of the land, and wishes to make o Taxpayer gets the sour Their money's worth.

Thanks.

Q Geoff, this is -

MR. Morrell: Thank you.

Q You Said 90 earlier. Is There a Reason Why You Went down to 60?

(No audible response.)