The Pentagon’s willingness to grant a 60-day extension to the KC-X proposal deadline may not be enough for EADS to commit to bidding. “We have firmly indicated that a 90-day extension would be the minimum time necessary to prepare a responsible proposal for this $40 billion program,” Guy Hicks, EADS North America spokesman told the Daily Report after Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell announced Wednesday the Defense Department’s willingness to grant more time for KC-X tanker bids to be turned in if EADS commits to competing (see Another 60 Days above). Hicks added that EADS “will consider” DOD’s decision to offer the 60-day extension, which would mean bids for the new tanker would be due July 9 vice May 10.
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.