Defense Secretary Robert Gates told House defense appropriators Wednesday that the Pentagon has no plans to amend the Air Force’s KC-X tanker solicitation in the hopes of securing a bid from European aerospace giant EADS, parent of aircraft maker Airbus. EADS has indicated that it is considering re-entering the tanker fray as a prime offeror after Northrop Grumman dropped its plans to lead a team with EADS to bid on the tanker contract (see Exploratory Talks below). But it has also said the Air Force’s requirements are still skewed against the type of A330-based tanker that EADS could offer. Regardless, “We do not intend to change the [tanker] requirements,” said Gates, when asked about EADS during his testimony.
A pair of B-1B Lancers flew alongside American F-16s and South Korean F-35s over the Korean Peninsula on March 19, the same day North Korea reportedly launched another missile test off its coast. The latest combined air training event between the U.S. and the Republic of Korea (ROK) was part of…