The acquisition strategy for the KC-X tanker “hasn’t changed” and will not suddenly permit a two-contractor approach, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz told defense reporters Tuesday in Washington, D.C. The plan is to acquire 179 aircraft from a single contractor because that’s all the Air Force can afford, said Schwartz. The minimum economic order quantity on tankers would be 24 a year with two contractors, but the Air Force can only afford to buy about 15 annually, he said. Moreover, “Why should I have two separate support . . . and training requirements, if I can avoid that?” he asked.
The Space Force has delayed its next Tactically Responsive Space mission, Victus Haze, until 2026, as one of its launch providers continues to recover from a rocket anomaly that occurred earlier this year.
