Northrop Grumman, EADS See International Prospects For New Tankers

[tigershark]

Am I understanding this article correctly if the US air force doesn't buy the tankers there be sold elsewhere?   Did the US air force order them or not?   Is this a pressure move placed on the air force to buy them like " see if you don't them somebody else will" type thing? I can't see them building the aircraft without firm orders right? 

This is the link
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200706241728DOWJONESDJONLINE000335_FORTUNE5.htm