When the Juggernaut Stumbles
The situation is quite straightforward. Boeing is facing a potential strike at the very facilities that churn out its military aircraft. Now, in a calm world, this might be a containable problem. But we don't live in a calm world, do we? With global tensions simmering away nicely, the last thing governments want to hear is that their supply of shiny new jets might be interrupted.
Reliability is the currency of the realm in defense contracting. When the Pentagon or any other major government buyer places an order, they aren’t just buying a machine. They are buying a promise that the machine will be delivered on time, every time. A strike, or even the threat of one, puts a rather large question mark over that promise. Procurement teams are not known for their patience. They have budgets to spend and security needs to meet, and they will look for the path of least resistance.