The Air Force has placed price of its KC-X tanker replacement at a lower level than four other key criteria, reports Andrea Shalal-Esa of Reuters news service. The service plans to rate a combination of four other criteria—mission capability, proposal risk, past performance, and integrated fleet assessment—ahead of cost for the development and purchase of the 179 aircraft in the KC-X increment. According to Reuters, lower price was one of the Northrop Grumman-EADS North America team’s strongest selling points. However, Northrop officials have been making a strong case for the ability of the KC-30 to carry more fuel, more cargo, and more passengers and mounted a vigorous campaign to offset any Buy American bias. What USAF doesn’t want is a protest from either Boeing or Northrop, which would delay the program.
B-21 Raider Conducts First Weapons Release Test
Nov. 13, 2026
The B-21 Raider conducted a weapons release test for the first time, the Air Force and manufacturer Northrop Grumman said Nov. 13. The weapons release, which took place the first week of November, marked the aircraft’s transition from a flight test aircraft to a functional weapons platform.