EADS North America announced Monday that the Air Force has debriefed it on the service’s KC-X tanker decision. Armed with this new knowledge, it now rests with the company to decide whether to appeal the Air Force’s tanker contract award to Boeing, or to allow the decision to stand. “The EADS North America team has met with the Air Force, received a debriefing, and is evaluating the information presented to us,” said Guy Hicks, EADS North America spokesman. He added, “Our objective has always been that the US warfighter receive the most capable tanker, following a fair and transparent competition. That remains our position today.” Last week, the Air Force selected Boeing’s 767-based NewGen Tanker over EADS’ A330-based KC-45 to replace the service’s oldest KC-135s. Explaining the decision last week, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said service evaluators judged that Boeing’s tanker would be more than 1 percent lower in price than EADS’. Further, Deputy Defense Secretary Bill Lynn called Boeing “a clear winner.”
USAF’s Planned E-7 Fleet on Trump’s Chopping Block
May 13, 2025
The future of the Air Force’s acquisition of 26 Boeing E-7 Wedgetail aircraft is in doubt under spending plans that are being weighed by the Trump administration.