Airbus ups the ante on tanker bid

Might the U.S. get a second major commercial aircraft manufacturer?

It might, says Airbus, if the Pentagon gives the European-based plane-maker the $40 billion aerial refueling tanker contract it’s currently weighing. That’s the gist of this story in today’s London Guardian.

EADS sources confirmed that Airbus could set up a new plant in low-cost Mobile, Alabama, in the southern US for the final assembly of civil aircraft - alongside the A330-based air-to-air refuelling plane for the US air force. “But a precondition would be that we win the tanker contract,” they said.

Between the falling dollar, higher European labor costs and the increasing globalization of aerospace, this  kind of move could make sense for Airbus,  Boeing’s chief rival in the business of building large commercial airplanes. And it’s been the source of growing speculation  by industry analysts of late (like Scott Leeham, and G2 Global Solutions).

But it’s hard to tell at this point if this is just intra-European sabre-rattling, a little  tanker-contract gamesmanship or a serious plan to build European airplanes on American shores. Stay tuned.