Boeing to 'raise level of rhetoric' on Airbus subsidies

Boeing chief executive Harry Stonecipher pledged Wednesday to step up criticism about government support for the aerospace giant's European rival, Airbus.
"We are going to raise the level of rhetoric," Stonecipher told an analysts meeting in New York. "Stay tuned."
The comments were another sign that Boeing, which delivered fewer planes than European rival Airbus last year for the first time, would offer stiff competition.
"They don't need subsidies," Stonecipher said of the European consortium, but declined to elaborate on any specific measures Boeing would take.
The US executive also said Airbus "made a big mistake when they decided to build the A380," the big jumbo jet, saying the market for such aircraft is limited.
He also maintained that the deal to supply the Air Force with 100 aerial refuelling tankers "is not dead." The 23 billion-dollar contract has been suspended over possible ethics violations tied to winning the deal and doubts about the necessity of the program.