A subdued but happy mood in Everett

Boeing Machinists in Everett welcomed news Wednesday that the Air Force might reopen the competition for a $35 billion contract for a refueling tanker.

But their enthusiasm was measured, with no celebratory plans for fancy steak dinners.

"I'm just enjoying the victory for right now," said Tom Wroblewski, president of the Aerospace Machinists Union District 751.

Machinists and their engineering counterparts who work on the 767 line in Everett said much remains to be done to win the federal contract to replace the aging Boeing KC-135.

"At least there's hope. Before, there was none," said Jason Redrup, a 46-year-old machinist from Snohomish.

Even if the reaction was somewhat muted, it was a stark contrast to the mood that followed the Air Force decision in February to award the contract to a team of Northrop Grumman and Airbus parent EADS.

Back then, union members gathered at their Airport Road hall near the Boeing plant. The state's congressional delegation, Wroblewski said, waited at the plant and was ready to celebrate with workers on the shop floor.

Then came the news.

"It was somber. It was horrible. We were stunned," Wroblewski said.

That decision, which sparked a successful Boeing protest, was particularly difficult for Machinist Mike McDougall, 43, of Snohomish.

"It was tough to get up," said McDougall, who builds 767 wings. "Now, it's a little easier. (But) I don't want to get overly excited."

The hope and guarded optimism that union members felt Wednesday translated into smiles and phone calls to loved ones.

"We haven't won it yet," McDougall said. "But this is going in the right direction. It was pretty exciting."

At the Machinists Hall, there were no congratulatory banners or members waving placards to passing, honking motorists.

About a dozen members of the Machinists Union and of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace talked to reporters.

A lone, red, white and blue banner hung on the wall. It had an image of the Boeing tanker refueling a fighter jet and read, "The American Dream. Bring It Home!"

SPEEA member Richard Pedersen, 52, talked with pride about a possible 767 tanker helping the U.S. military.

"I have relatives in the armed forces. I'd rather see them fly the best around instead of the second-best," the Everett resident said.

And Redrup pointed out what he and other machinists would have done had no second opportunity for a contract surfaced.

"We would have pressed our politicians to pull the funding from the Airbus airplane," he said.

MEANWHILE IN ALABAMA ...

Alabama officials expressed optimism Wednesday that the state will still be the U.S. assembly hub for new Air Force refueling tankers even after the Government Accountability Office upheld a protest that could delay or overturn the contract.

The GAO ruling raised significant questions about the Air Force's decision in February to award the work to Northrop Grumman Corp. and European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co., which plan to assemble the planes at Brookley Field Industrial Complex in Mobile.

But just minutes after the decision was announced, Northrop Grumman sent out a statement reiterating its plans to hold a June 28 groundbreaking at the Alabama site. Elected officials said they would continue fighting for the $600 million plant, which could host some 1,500 jobs.

"I am obviously deeply disappointed and surprised," U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner, a Republican from Mobile, said of the decision. But, he added: "A couple of things seem clear: The Air Force desperately needs a new tanker to replace a fleet nearing 50 years old, and the Air Force still believes the Northrop Grumman/EADS tanker best meets its needs."

Gov. Bob Riley, Mobile Mayor Sam Jones and others offered similar reaction.

"The most important thing that I saw in this was that they were not questioning the merits of the aircraft," Jones said. "It seemed to me they were saying some of the wording did not clearly convey information to the bidders. ... We'll just have to see what the Air Force response is to that."

The contract, which has spawned a fierce political battle on Capitol Hill, pits the international Northrop Grumman/EADS team against U.S.-based Boeing Co. It is worth $30 billion to $40 billion over 10 to 15 years and could be even more lucrative -- it is the first of three deals to replace the Air Force's entire fleet of nearly 600 tankers.

To lure the projects, state and local government agencies offered the companies a $110 million package of incentives, including tax breaks and cash to help with plant construction.

-- The Associated Press