French President Nicolas Sarkozy criticised the United States on Friday over bidding rules for a tanker jet contract, saying it was not the way for Washington to treat its European allies. British premier Gordon Brown added he was "disappointed" at the changing of rules in favour of US aerospace giant Boeing, expected to win a multi-billion dollar contract to build ...

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday the Pentagon will drive a hard bargain with Boeing on a contract for a new aerial refuelling tanker after Airbus parent EADS dropped out of the competition. "I wish that we had had a competition. I wish both companies had stayed in it," Gates said. But he said that "we will certainly ...

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday he regrets that a major defense contractor has pulled out of the contest to build a badly needed new Air Force plane. And he warned that the lone surviving bidder shouldn't expect to be able to pad ...

(Reuters) - The United States will negotiate carefully with Boeing to build the next generation of tanker aircraft, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday. Gates said a rival's withdrawal from the multibillion dollar competition should not create further delays. "We will certainly be sharpening our pencil when it comes to negotiating with Boeing," Gates said at a ...