KC-45 tanker project stalled
County remains proactive on tanker support
BY PAM BRANNON Gulf Breeze News news@gulfbreezenews.com

The Air Force's choice of Northrop Grumman to build a fleet of 179 KC-45 aerial refueling tankers (right) has been delayed after the Goverment Accountability Office ruled that problems might have existed with the bid process, which was challenged by Boeing. The $35 billion project that was awarded to Mobile, Ala., could bring hundreds of related jobs to the area. Northrop Grummam Media Services

The proposed military tanker program in Mobile, Ala., was put on hold after congressional auditors sustained an appeal by The Boeing Co., which disputed the Air Force's awarding of the $35 billion project to rival Northrop Grumman.

But Santa Rosa County still is going full-speed-ahead to start marketing the county to businesses that would be suppliers for the project. Representatives from Santa Rosa County will accompany a contingent from Mobile and Tallahassee, including State Rep. Ray Sansom, to the annual International Air Show in London later this month.

Gordon Goodin of Navarre will represent the Santa Rosa County Commission at the event.

"It will be like the Beverly Hillbillies being turned loose in London," Goodin quipped.

Santa Rosa County, still hopeful that the plant will be built in Mobile, is wasting no time in starting a campaign to attract businesses supporting that plant to locate in Santa Rosa. The county commission voted two weeks ago to give $200,000 to TEAM Santa Rosa, an agency that works to bring economic development projects to the county.

The future of the Mobile KC- 45 Tanker Refueling plant is in limbo after the Government Accountability Office (GAO) determined that an appeal by Boeing might have merit.

The U.S. Air Force three months ago granted the contract to build 179 aerial refueling tankers to Northrop Grumman, a subsidiary of the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. Boeing argued the contract was awarded improperly and asked the GAO to examine whether the bidding process was fair.

Northrop Grumman has said that nationwide, 230 companies and as many as 48,000 jobs will be involved in the project. Many of those are expected to be in Alabama and Florida.

TEAM Santa Rosa board member Ed Gray III of Gulf Breeze told commissioners the $200,000 is needed and will be put to use immediately to try to draw new jobs to the county.

"I have heard of some neighboring counties that are planning to spend as much as $5 million to draw these tier-one companies to their county," Gray said. "I am not saying we should spend that, but if we are not willing to get out there and play with the big boys, then we are going to be left behind."

But Gray said TEAM Santa Rosa now will scale back what it will spend at first, just using $50,000 of the county's money to begin setting up needed Web sites and sending representatives to the air show.

"We need to be at the air show, and we need to be ready so if and when the tanker plant starts construction in Mobile we have a package to offer suppliers who need to build close by," Gray said.

Goodin added: "Too much is at stake here. This is a once-ina lifetime opportunity. The work we do here right now to bring new manufacturing and new jobs to the county is for the generations to come. If we don't take advantage of this opportunity, shame on us."

"TEAM Santa Rosa understands that when you get these businesses' attention, you have to have a product to give them," Commissioner Don Salter said. "TEAM Santa Rosa is helping to build an environment where these businesses can grow. That includes an educational foundation, a workforce to draw from, the infrastructure they need."

Gray thanked the commissioners for their support to TEAM Santa Rosa.

"I know that in hard times some might think twice about giving us this much money," Gray said. "But it is in hard times that we need to do the most to bring jobs here.

"I can't tell you that a year from now I will be ale to stand in front of you and report phenomenal success, but if we don't try we won't be reporting anything a year from now."