EVERETT, Wash. (AP) -- Boeing turned out hundreds of employees for a rally Monday at the widebody factory in Everett to support the company's bid to build a new Air Force refueling tanker.
Boeing is offering a military version of its 767 in competition with a European tanker based on an Airbus plane. The Pentagon is expected to award a contract for 179 planes by the end of the year.
Boeing says winning the contract would generate 11,000 jobs and $693 million in annual economic impact for the state of Washington. Currently Boeing has 72,000 employees in the state and an annual economic impact of $3.3 billion.
Democrat Sen. Patty Murray and Reps. Norm Dicks, Rick Larsen, Jim McDermott and Jay Inslee and Republican Dave Reichert spoke at the rally.
