Now that the bids are in for the Air Force’s KC-X tanker, the Pentagon’s formal source-selection process has begun. As part of that, the clamps have come down on what the Air Force may disclose. “In order protect the integrity and independence of this process, we are prohibited by the Federal Acquisition Regulation from providing further detail,” Air Force spokeswoman Col. Debra Millett tells the Daily Report. However, she added, the Defense Department “is committed to a free, fair, and open competitive process within the parameters of those rules and regulations.” The Air Force expects to award the KC-X contract sometime this fall, she confirmed. The KC-X program is projected to have a value of at least $35 billion over its lifetime.
The United States Air Force is flying less than historic norms and funding for acquisition and readiness is on a path to further hollow out this too small and old force to that is incapable of sustaining an enduring combat air campaign.
