Top defense leaders unveiled their new tanker acquisition strategy Thursday, telling reporters at the Pentagon they believe the requirements are more concise, far less subjective and without ambiguity. “This is a ‘best value’” competition, Deputy Defense Secretary Bill Lynn said. Although price will be a big factor—and some of the competition will demand a fixed price offer from contractors—it’s “not a price shootout,” Lynn asserted. Other factors will include efficiency, lifecycle costs, and military construction costs, as well as simulated performance in Pentagon war plans. When a winner is chosen—probably not sooner than next June—it should be “crystal clear to everyone” why that contractor prevailed, Pentagon acquisition chief Ashton Carter said. The list of requirements has been whittled down from 808 to 373, mostly by using clearer language and eliminating duplication, Lynn reported. Continue
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.