The Air Force has chosen Boeing’s 767-based NewGen Tanker to be its new KC-X aerial refueling aircraft under an acquisition program with an estimated value of more than $30 billion. Secretary Michael Donley announced the decision during a Pentagon briefing Thursday. Boeing won out over EADS North America, which offered its A330-based tanker model. Boeing has received a contract valued at more than $3.5 billion for the KC-X engineering and manufacturing development phase. The current schedule is to have Boeing deliver 18 of the planned 179 new tankers by 2017. Donley said USAF is designating the new tanker as the KC-46A. More tanker coverage to come.
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force said.