Leading the Way

I suppose just about everyone knows by now that Boeing won the competition for the Tanker. It is a pretty big deal. The total order is for something like 179 aircraft, based on the 767. It only took 10 years to get here.
First Boeing won the bid, but Financial improprieties were discovered, which eventually let to jail time for a Boeing Executive. They threw the bid back open, and this time EADS (Airbus) won. Boeing protested because of improper proposal/bidding. Their protest was upheld, and the bid was opened again. This time it looks like a win for Boeing.
The win was based strictly on economic reasons. The Boeing proposal was significantly lower.
Why?
In part because of the P8-A.
The traditional way Boeing had done derivative aircraft was for the Boeing Commercial Aircraft to build a "white tail" aircraft and deliver it to Boeing Whoever.
They would then tear it partly apart and install the structural components, control surfaces and systems to support whatever the mission was. A very expensive proposition.
When the P8-A was proposed to the Navy we threw all that out the window and rethought the entire process. We spent several years before the first aircraft started production figuring out how to install the structure, controls and systems during production. It was a very intensive process, and the first several aircraft were watched very closely. There was a great deal of scepticism that Boeing would be able to pull it off.
We did.
I think it was more important than even the P8-A that we proved that we could perform well in a joint exercise.
Need I point out that the P8-A program has provided a single successful implementation in a pot of boiling crud.
Having proved we could work well in unison, Boeing bid on the Tanker Program using the business model that had been proved out by the P8-A. So I like to think that we led the way, and proved out the Business Model. Without this established Model, I don't think Boeing would have succeeded with their bid for the Tanker Program.
But then again, I might be just a little prejudiced.