The Air Force will not get its wish that the Government Accountability Office take another gander at its decision upholding the protest over the KC-135 depot maintenance contract, reports Reuters news service. A “source familiar with the decision” told Reuters on Friday that GAO has “denied” USAF’s request. The contract, which went to Boeing last fall, is worth a potential $1.2 billion. GAO has urged USAF to conduct a required risk analysis of changes Boeing made in its final proposal. GAO sided with losing bidder Pemco (now Alabama Aircraft Industries) on this issue when it made its ruling in December. GAO did not rule on other portions of Pemco’s protest that related to former Air Force acquisition official Charles Reichers, whose apparent suicide has been under investigation.
A new Air Force organization is searching for counter-drone firms to participate in a dozen or more exercises to help create operating plans by the end of this year for defending the service’s U.S.-based installations from drone attacks.