We agree: an American tanker should be built in America

Some people are surprised to learn that their “foreign” car is made by American workers on American soil, providing much-needed jobs and cash flow into other local businesses. Others are surprised to learn that their “domestic” car is not actually produced in the United States.

Similarly, much has been made in this tanker competition about the “American-ness” of each offering, and I’d like to set the record straight. The EADS North America KC-45 will be an American tanker, built here in the U.S. by Americans, supported by an American supply chain and ultimately flown by American warfighters.

While the overall U.S. trade deficit continues to grow, the domestic aerospace industry’s exports remain strong. EADS is an important reason why that’s true. We are the largest international customer for U.S. aerospace products, purchasing $11 billion of U.S. content every year – a staggering figure that supports more than 200,000 American workers, weaving the company tightly into the fabric of U.S. aerospace.

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