Based on the program laid out in the KC-X tanker request for proposal issued on Wednesday, the Air Force plans to take delivery of the first production-version KC-X airframe in Fiscal 2015, according to Air Force spokeswoman Lt. Col. Karen Platt. And the service anticipates having enough of the new tankers in place in Fiscal 2017—18 aircraft, to be exact—so it can proceed to the review that will decide if the first KC-X unit is ready for operations, she told the Daily Report Thursday. The Air Force plans to buy 179 KC-X tankers over 13 production lots to replace the oldest of its Eisenhower-era KC-135s. Four of these will be built during the KC-X program’s engineering and manufacturing development phase and used as test assets. After the flight test activities conclude, Platt said they will be modified into the full production configuration. Continue
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
