George Muellner, Boeing’s chief of Air Force programs, said Thursday morning that there’s no reason to assume the KC-767 is a dead option for the Air Force’s tanker recapitalization program. The same factors taken into consideration four years ago, when the aircraft was selected—ramp space, sorties, fuel offload, etc.—are still the dominant issues. The KC-767 has always been capable of carrying cargo and passengers, which senior USAF leaders say will be essential in the upcoming tanker competition. However, Muellner also says Boeing will “respond with a full range of options” for the program.
The Air Force has awarded a $29.7 million contract to engine startup Beehive Industries to complete work on a new disposable jet engine meant to power drones and munitions. The contract is just the latest step in the service’s effort to massively scale up production of cheap new missiles and…
