The Pentagon IG believes the Air Force needs to correct a shortfall in its KC-X aerial refueling aircraft replacement program that could prevent it from getting the best price for more than half the aircraft buy. The Air Force agrees and plans to alter its acquisition strategy. In its report, the IG notes that the service intends to purchase the first 80 of a total 179 KC-X aircraft under a competitive arrangement; the remaining 99 would fall under a noncompetitive action with the original winner. The IG does not fault this plan but says USAF needs to “obtain accurate, complete, and current cost and pricing data to determine the reasonableness of the contractor’s proposed price.” However, the IG also acknowledges that USAF might “bypass” this option and jump straight into the next tanker replacement increment—a KC-Y competition. At present, the service plans three consecutive procurement programs—KC-X, KC-Y, and KC-Z—to field enough new tankers to replace its fleet of KC-135s. All three could be different platforms.
Small one-way attack drones widely used on the frontlines of Ukraine and against U.S. outposts in the Middle East have fundamentally altered the definition of air superiority, Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. James C. “Jim” Slife said April 24. "Our traditional conception of what things like…