Sean O’Keefe, head of EADS’s North American operations, said Tuesday he hasn’t seen indications yet that the Air Force desires major technological improvements in the new KC-X tanker over what it already possesses in the KC-135. “The current draft request for proposals is not a tanker modernization program, it is just a replacement program,” O’Keefe told journalists, reported the New York Times (may require free registration). EADS is Northrop Grumman’s principal teammate in trying to secure the KC-X contract. O’Keefe reiterated that the language in the draft solicitation places the Northrop team at a disadvantage since it would not properly assess the capability of the team’s KC-30 tanker design that goes beyond the baseline requirements. He repeated the team’s threat not to submit a bid unless the final version of the RFP, due for release within weeks, reflects changes that give would his team a “fair” chance.
Depot-level maintenance took longer than expected for nearly three-quarters of Air Force aircraft from fiscal 2019-2024, according to a new report, as unplanned repairs rise across the aging fleet. The report, from the Government Accountability Office, also found that the extent of the delays has been masked because officials often revise their target timelines after unplanned work occurs.