American-Built A330s: What Was The Failed LMXT Project About?

For strategic, economic, and political reasons, its natural for governments to try and source equipment from domestic providers. Its for this reason that the US market has been nearly impossible to penetrate when it comes to military sales from outside firms. The American military industrial complex is massive, and its much more likely for American defence contractors to be selling THEIR products overseas, to allies without their own domestic options.
And so for European planemaker and defence contractor Airbus to offer a strategic tanker to the US Air Force, well… it’s ambitious to say the least. It's the reason why US contractor Lockheed Martin decided to pitch the idea of a tanker transport based on the A330 platform - all under its own name.
So in today’s video, we examine what this project, dubbed the LMXT, was all about.
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[@SomeoneFromBeijing]

They never had a chance. Boeing is probably not the best planemaker right now, but their lobbying wing is as strong as ever.

[@daviddj1406]

Ain't that the truth

[@Rasscasse]

It’s probably the only wing that is strong! Boom Tish!

[@GLACIESFIRE]

You already know that a French plane with British engines would have never even had a chance in an American competition…

[@gerhardma4687]

Airbus is multinational and not french

[@269KID1]

They have PW & GE engine.

[@Rasscasse]

Aer Lingus 330s use GE power

[@aerohk]

You know BAE systems, a British firm, won plenty of defense contracts in the US?

[@wilsonsymons3721]

It is a SHAME that Airbus lost the contract because it would have been COOL to see A320 series, A330 series, and A220 series airplanes in my hometown of Mobile, Alabama and I HOPE that Airbus does eventually build A330’s in Alabama. 😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@joelbosso1331]

The MRTT just makes too much sense for the US government to commit to it. Better to throw money at the Pegasus than buy the off the shelf solution that is available today. Amazing.

[@marco21274]

I think Airbus tries to drive the price down.

[@michaelcrawford6536]

We will have all these unmanned planes flying in the air and nobody in the seat to keep them from falling over homes and people, they will fail and no one in the seat to recover before catastrophe occurs, is this undermanned concept a really good Idea considering the risk ?

[@Cartoonman154]

Completely glossed over the corruption for the first round of competition that saw Michael Sears being fired from Boeing, pleading guilty to aiding and abetting an illegal employment negotiation, and also sentenced to prison. Phil Condit, Boeing's CEO, resigned under pressure, though he was not charged with any crime. And a member of the DoD official in 2002, Darleen Druyun who was No. 2 acquisition executive for the Air Force only got 9 months in prison, a $5000 fine and 150 hours of community service. Druyun agreed to a higher price than appropriate for a proposed deal to lease 100 tanker planes from Boeing, which she called "a parting gift" to her future employer. She also shared a competitor's proprietary data with Boeing. She was looking to get on the board of Boeing where her daughter also worked. More the fact that Northrop Grumman/Airbus got it when the program the competition in 2008, Boeing got the tender taken from Grumman because Boeing didn't like the outcome and was awarded it in 2011. No wonder Lockheed/Airbus pulled out. Yet, the KC-46 still has problems. Not to say that Airbus gets away scot-free and their bribery in other countries.

[@The_Red_Squirrel]

The US always buy from US suppliers. The engine refit on the B52 is a case in point, where Rolls Royce are supplying the engines on condition they are manufactured in the US.
The US also expects its European NATO allies to increase their spend in the expectation that those countries buy from US manufacturers.
Maybe it is time for Europeans to stick together and buy European just as they have done with Airbus, who as a result have become the premier civil aircraft manufacturer in the world.

[@RogueSamus27]

As an American, this made me chuckle. Should've named the program "BALD EAGLE". That sounds a lot better than L-M-X-T. *eye roll*

[@Rasscasse]

It sounds very complicated.
I mean it should be simple, you buy the right equipment at the best price you can right.
There is obviously far more to it than that !
Can Boeing even fulfil the contract on time, even if they got it ?
They may have too much on their plate already

[@MyKharli]

KC ..Kash Cow .

[@Elliasp-xx7mb]

since Airbus is a world company (made in europe, asia and even the US), I don't understand this "made in america for americans" thing,... that's so... 1940's.

[@AFG.1]

Hi

[@aliken6240]

In your opinion, which is better, Boeing or Airbus

[@Ghost8305.]

currently airbus because they don't get torn into pieces by the air

[@asicdathens]

The MRTT from Airbus is certified to automatically refuel airplanes using machine vision.

[@fkaptijn7111]

The Airbus is better, but Boeing wins the contract because the lobby of Boeing is better.

[@EuropeanRailfanAlt]

You already know what 80% of people will say

[@AbdullahNajib-b9z]

Boeing.

[@deniermurch8693]

America would rather buy rubbish than Airbus. (satire)

[@CrazyMonkey-gk3wb]

No door plugs to look at here!