Airbus parent EADS reveals to consider a new bid for an attractive Pentagon contract for mid-air refuelling tankers, however, requires an extended deadline.

"In the end, the company will only submit a proposal if there is a fair chance to win, after evaluating all relevant factor", EADS said on Friday, a day after Washington left the door open for a last-ditch offer.

In this way, it can rejoin the bid for a multi-billion dollar tanker contract if the U. S. government allays its concerns that the competition's terms favour archrival Boeing, the European group reported.

It has uncovered that the U. S. Air Force's terms for the tanker contract, valued at over $50 billion, are supporting Boeing's smaller 767-based tanker.

The U. S. Defense Department has revealed that it would highly welcome a proposal from EADS North America as prime contractor and would ponder over extending a May 10 deadline for bids if need persist.

EADS Chief Executive Louis Gallois on Thursday posted that it was nearly impossible to fulfil the current deadline after its U. S. partner Northrop Grumman Corp. dropped out.

The company shares registered a rise of 1.0 percent at 14.81 euros by 1416 GMT. Boeing shares were boosted by 1.5 percent, triggered by the company's revelation on Friday that it will accelerate planned increases of 777 and
747 productions.