Kan. officials keep up tanker fight

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- Kansas officials are keeping an eye on the bidding for the next generation of Air Force refueling tankers.

The competition pits Chicago-based Boeing Co. against Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman Corp. and Airbus parent European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co.

Kansas would be in the supply-and-demand chain if Boeing were to get the project.

Boeing's Wichita plant likely would add jobs to finish construction of the aircraft. And the planes would replace the Eisenhower-era aircraft currently flown by the Air Force and Air National Guard from Kansas bases.

In addition, Wichita-based Spirit Aerosystems is a major supplier to Boeing and is expected to make many of the components that would be used on the new refueler.