EADS North America has decided not to protest the Air Force’s award of the KC-X tanker contract to Boeing, senior EADS officials announced Friday at a press conference in Washington, D.C. They said the Air Force did not deviate from the selection process it laid out in the KC-X request for proposals and that price was the ultimate deciding factor. “While we are obviously disappointed that our men and women in uniform are not getting the most capable tanker available, we will not take any action that could further delay the already overdue replacement of the Air Force’s aging tanker fleet,” stated EADS North America Chairman Ralph Crosby in a release. He added, “Much is promised by our competitor, whom we congratulate. However, should they fail to deliver, we stand ready to step in with a proven and operating tanker.” For more on EADS’ decision, continue to Cleared for Takeoff.
The KC-Z4, a blended wing body tanker concept being developed by startup JetZero, could fuel larger groups of aircraft at longer range to hold more targets at risk, company officials say.