According to various lawmakers, the Pentagon does plan to recompete the Air Force’s KC-X tanker program award, following the Government Accountability Office rejection of the process that awarded the program to Northrop Grumman/EADS in February. Defense Secretary Robert Gates intends to announce same today. (See coverage in July 10 Daily Report column.) DOD and Air Force acquisition officials are slated to appear before a House panel Thursday (see below).
U.S. Southern Command recently announced its first lethal strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel in two months, and the first under a newly formed permanent counter-cartel task force. The U.S. is also reportedly planning to transfer MQ-9 drones to Colombia to bolster its counter-cartel efforts.