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Air Force expands probe

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2003 | 9:41 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Air Force Secretary James Roche said Monday he asked the Pentagon Inspector General to expand a probe of Boeing Co.'s 767 refueling tanker deal to include other major contract awards to the company as far back as 2000.

The 14-year, $27 billion program to start replacing the Air Force's aging fleet of aerial refueling tankers is on hold while the IG investigates whether Darleen Druyun, then the service's No. 2 acquisition official, improperly gave Boeing proprietary data related to the lease proposal from another bidder, the European Aeronautic Space & Defense Co.

Roche said he asked that the probe include "any major programs with Boeing that Druyun was involved in" during the two years before she left in December 2002. Druyun joined Boeing the next month. Boeing fired Druyun and Chief Financial Officer Michael Sears Nov. 25, saying they broke company rules by discussing her hiring while she negotiated the tanker deal.

The IG probe likely will include contracts for upgrading NATO early warning surveillance aircraft, for space programs and for a new small-diameter smart bomb, Roche said.

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