Perhaps, the biggest “secret” of the Air Force’s KC-X tanker contest is that the KC-X could end up being the only new aerial refueling aircraft that USAF ends up getting, writes Rebecca Grant, president of IRIS Independent Research, in her new white paper, “Nine Secrets of the Tanker War.” The chances of fully replacing the aged tanker fleet via a second and third phase of recapitalization dubbed KC-Y and KC-Z, respectively, “aren’t too good,” given factors like the Air Force’s track record in recent times for restocking its aircraft types in inadequate numbers, she contends. “In that case,” she asserts, “it’s essential to get KC-X right.” Among the other “secrets”: the KC-X program will be good for the US aerospace industry, no matter if Boeing or EADS North America wins; the losing bidder will not go under; and fuel offload matters. Above all, “The time for KC-X is now,” writes Grant, who is also director of AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Airpower Studies and a frequent contributor to Air Force Magazine. (IRIS release)
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…
