County Gets Behind EADS: Mobile Contract to Boost Jackson County
By Karen Nelson, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss.
Apr. 8–PASCAGOULA — Jackson County, poised to benefit from the Northrop Grumman-EADS multibillion-dollar airplane tanker contract in Mobile, has expressed support for urging Congress to affirm the project.
The Board of Supervisors passed a resolution Monday and heard from economic development and airport leaders that there have already been numerous potential project suppliers scouting Jackson County, because of its proximity to Brookley Field in Mobile.
George Freeland, director of the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation, told supervisors that Jackson County has aggressively supported the project since EADS announced several weeks before Katrina that Brookley, a former base, was where it would produce the refueling tanker if it won the Air Force contract.
Boeing challenged the Air Force’s decision more than a month ago to award the bid to Northrop Grumman and EADS.
“Jackson County is lined up for the economic advantages,” Freeland said Monday. “It’s just 30 miles to Trent Lott International Airport. That’s no distance.”
He said that besides the 10-year, $150 billion military contract, the companies are planning commercial ventures in the area.
“Suppliers from all over the world will have to be in this region,” Freeland said. The county’s airport is also making improvements that will enable it to serve these suppliers.
As a result, the airport has already become of more interest to Department of Defense aircraft wishing to train at a smaller airport.
And according to Airport Director Carol Snapp, the airport board hopes to soon have the federal certificate that will allow it to open its doors to passenger flights, hopefully attracting charter flights.
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