Analysts: Tanker criteria fair, but politics still a factor

Aerial refueling tanker criteria that Air Force and Pentagon officials presented Thursday do a good job of creating a transparent process that doesn't clearly favor Boeing or a rival Northrop Grumman-EADS team, but politics will still come into play, analysts said.

"They've made things as clear and as transparent and straightforward as possible, and they've used language that doesn't appear to favor either side," said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst with the Teal group. "It doesn't change the political dynamic, but at least it shows that the Air Force is doing everything it can, given the political circumstances."

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