The Pentagon may have to consider the effect on the US industrial base of awarding a refuelling tanker contract to EADS, the European aerospace and defence company, if a measure passedon Wednesday by a congressional committee becomes law.

The House appropriations defence committee bill could benefit US's Boeing over EADS and Northrop Grumman, its US partner, in a new competition to provide the Pentagon with 179 in-flight refuelling tankers.