Globalization sometimes makes for strange bedfellows. As trade barriers melt away and national loyalties fade, companies have begun to seek the best returns wherever they may be. This process is well under way in many sectors and may finally have arrived in one particularly sensitive area -- defense.
European Aeronautic Defence & Space (EADS), the parent company of commercial aircraft maker Airbus, has tried before to break into the U.S. defense industry. EADS lost a 2003 contract to supply refueling planes to the U.S. Air Force to Boeing
EADS appears determined to make the most of its second chance. The company has been enticing state and local officials with the prospect of a building the tanker in the U.S.A.
EADS now appears to be putting the finishing touches on its strategy. The Wall Street Journal reported early Wednesday that the European outfit is courting Northrop Grumman
It may seem improbable that a foreign player will get its hands on a significant piece of the Pentagon's largesse. But in alliance with a U.S. company, EADS' chances look much better. There's certainly precedent for U.S. military contractors cooperating with foreign outfits; Britain's BAE Systems, which owns 20% of EADS, is contributing to Lockheed Martin's
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Fool contributor Brian Gorman is a freelance writer in Chicago. He does not own shares of any companies mentioned in this article.