Northrop Grumman Wins KC-X Contest:

The wait is over. The team of Northrop Grumman/EADS has triumphed over Boeing in the Air Force’s KC-X tanker contest, senior USAF officials announced late Friday, ending an intensive competition and filling USAF’s top procurement priority. The transatlantic consortium won a $1.5 billion contract for the system development and demonstration phase of the KC-X program that will yield up to 179 new tanker aircraft, recently designated KC-45As, under work estimated to be worth about $35 billion over the next 15 years or so. The new tanker model is Northrop Grumman’s KC-30 design, which features the Airbus A330 airframe. It will replace USAF’s oldest Eisenhower-era KC-135s. The SDD phase includes the manufacture of four test aircraft. The new contract also includes five production options, together worth $10.6 billion, for 64 airplanes, the Air Force said Feb. 29. Boeing bid the KC-767. “Today's announcement is the culmination of years of tireless work and attention to detail by our acquisition professionals and source selection team, who have been committed to maintaining integrity, providing transparency, and promoting a fair competition for this critical aircraft program,” Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne said a USAF statement. The Air Force said it could not provide additional information on the proposals and the Northrop Grumman contract at this time until both industry teams have had the chance to be debriefed. Boeing spokesman Bill Barksdale said in a statement: “Obviously we are very disappointed with this outcome. We believe that we offered the Air Force the best value and lowest risk tanker for its mission.” He said the company is awaiting the debrief. There has been speculation that a protest by the loser is inevitable since the stakes in the KC-X program were so high: The winner may eventually have the inside track on building hundreds of more tankers to replace some 500 KC-135s in the fleet. “Once we have reviewed the details behind the award, we will make a decision concerning our possible options, keeping in mind at all times the impact to the warfighter and our nation,” Barksdale said.

Northrop “Clearly Provided” Best Value

Service acquisition chief Sue Payton said during the award announcement of the much-anticipated KC-X contract Feb. 29 (see above), “We had two very competitive offers in this competition.” However, it was clear as she and Air Mobility Command boss Gen....

Making 2013?:

Air Mobility Command boss Gen. Arthur Lichte said that, if all goes well in the KC-X tanker program just awarded to Northrop Grumman/EADS (see above), testing of the first aircraft will begin in 2010, followed by an initial operational capability...

Nuclear Fission:

The Air Force is close to implementing a new policy under which bomber units capable of both conventional and nuclear strike missions, such as B-52 squadrons, would be assigned responsibility solely for the latter during extended intervals, the service’s top...

Together We Stand:

Gen. Michael Moseley, Chief of Staff, said he has signed a letter with Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey that reiterates both services’ commitment to the C-27J transport aircraft program “in the original beddown and the original timelines.” Speaking...

It’s Not Rocket Science:

Skeptics of the Air Force’s assertion that it can field an impressive new long-range bomber in 2018 are misinformed, the Air Force’s top uniformed officer said Feb. 28. “The ability to field a system by 2018, if you integrate existing...

Suggestion Box:

Gen Michael Moseley, Chief of Staff, said he is open to hearing what could be done to improve the reliability of USAF’s C-5A airlifter now that the decision has been made not to send them through the much more robust...

Reserve J Models Back in SWA:

Air Force Reserve Command’s 815th Airlift Squadron from Keesler AFB, Miss., returns to Southwest Asia operations this month for the start of a new deployment with the newest Hercules, the C-130J. The Flying Jennies teamed with the Air National Guard...

One Thousand SDBs:

Boeing has delivered 1,000 Small Diameter Bomb 1 munitions, according to a Feb. 28 company release marking the event. “SDB is a great program that provides extremely effective weapons capability to current and future warfighters,” said Boeing Weapons Programs VP...

Bernie Fisher Stops in at Kunsan:

Airmen at Kunsan AB, South Korea got to meet and talk with a living Air Force legend, Medal of Honor recipient when retired Col. Bernard Fisher visited the facility last week. He was in Korea to see his son, Maj....

Air Sorties in War on Terrorism, Southwest Asia

Feb. 27, 2008 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 26 8 34 1,485 CAS/Armed Recon 65 47 112 4,593 Airlift 141 141 6,823 Air refueling 45 45 2,175 Total 332 15,076 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom ISR=Intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance...