An Air Force spokesman told the Daily Report yesterday that the service does plan next month to issue its final request for proposals on the aerial refueling aircraft replacement program, dubbed KC-X. Spokesman Don Manuszewski confirmed the December RFP and that the service plans to select a winner from two competitors—Boeing and the Northrop Grumman-EADS team—in September 2007. A report late Monday from Reuters news service cited “three sources” that said the Air Force might delay program award by two years until 2009. That would be mighty unwelcome news, since the service’s 40-plus year old KC-135 tankers are not getting any younger, and Air Force leaders just last month made the KC-X the service’s No. 1 procurement priority.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. has flown a second YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft, stepping up the pace of testing for the new uncrewed fighter escort. The company also announced “Gambit 6,” a fresh variant in its CCA family meant for air-to-ground missions.
