Northrop Grumman was very active behind the scenes in ensuring that the subsidies it's partner EADS receives (and likely will receive) via Airbus would not harm it's chance sin the tanker competition. This will be dissapointing news to Boeing, however not all is bad. Boeing may well be able to push the 777 as its tanker base, along with possibly even the 787 a few years down the track. Let the battle begin...