Announcing the first part of a contract worth more than $30 billion, the Pentagon said: "Boeing was a clear winner."
The US firm is now tasked with delivering 18 aircraft by 2017, but the contract is expected to grow to 179 tankers.
The planes, effectively flying gasoline stations, giving the Air Force global reach and allowing the United States to project military power well beyond its borders.
The surprise verdict capped a nearly 10-year attempt by the Air Force to begin to replace an aging Boeing-built fleet of 400 tankers dating back to the 1950s.
But the decision was an upset, with most experts predicting Boeing's European rival EADS would land the victory."
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U-Boats 'Made in Germany'
Most experts agree that Germany is the world leader in diesel-electric submarine technology. Right now the German naval industry is developing submarine technologies that will allow diesel electric attack submarines to stay underwater longer, display enhanced stealth technology and IFF, and effectively engage aerial targets as well as enjoying enhanced surface ship and land attack capabilities.
