We can have competition in the most expensive weapons

I think it is terribly important, that the Department of Defense always have the option to buy something else… they should keep their options open… One thing I would really like to say to you today is that, I am a very strong believer in competition. I am a strong believer in the antitrust laws of the United States and how they have made my life to be a lot better in the clothing I wear, the food I buy, the prices I pay for things, the airlines I ride on. I see no indication you can’t have all those same values in major defense procurement. Major defense procurement should always be handled in such a way that the option exists for the Government to buy something else… We can have that competition in the most expensive weapons.

That was former VP of Boeing and chief designer of the B-52, George Schairer in a 1975 Congressional hearing on Major Systems Acquisition. Here was another good part:

We have no problem in competing in foreign lands against their airplanes which were developed under a noncompetitive process.

I wonder what Schairer would say today if he saw what was happening with Boeing. I hear Airbus has their own problems, but I’d venture they’re out-competing Boeing on commercial airliners at this point (at least in terms of public perception). Airbus achieved the first fully automatic refueling tanker contact while Boeing’s KC-46A testing has been pushed back another several years as it agreed to completely redesign the remote vision system. SpaceX is certainly outcompeting Boeing’s Space Launch System (SLS). One bright spot for Boeing is the T-7A trainer.

I’ll leave you with this to ponder upon: