Northrop Grumman attempted to silence the rumblings over its announcement that it would team with EADS to proffer the KC-30—an aircraft based on the EADS Airbus A330—as a KC-135 replacement by pointing out a simple fact: If there is to be a competition, it must include an aircraft with components produced in Europe. Of course, as Northrop officials pointed out to reporters at the AFA conference Monday, Congress could say: No competition. That would not sit well with at least one lawmaker—Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)—who has been dogged in his pursuit of the Air Force and Boeing over their tanker lease deal. (Read “The Tanker Blame Game” here.)
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
