Absolutely shocked when i read this, great result for EADS and the Europeans.
i guess there will be an inevitable appeal from Boeing but i don't see why they just cannot except that the better proposal won, especially as Northrop Gruman were strong in every area that counted, especially cost price refuelling...
I think i'd be pissed if someone went into what is my backyard and took a contract worth billions
AirSpace - more than just hot air
Frankly, I would have prefered to see the USAF select the Boeing. I still think the Airbus will turn out to be too large to be the primary tanker, particularly one that needs to operate from forward bases. Sooner or later the U.S. will want something more the size of the 767, but by then that airframe will be long out of production. However, I do believe that the USAF has made a sincere effort to evaluate the two entries on their merits and would not like to see a drawn out appeal that would push the in service date back even further.
Of course, if the Europeans were serious about buying the best available aircraft regardless of where it came from they would ditch that flying subsidy program called the A-400M and buy C-17s from Boeing.
The A330 is simply a far superior aircraft than the 767. Without a doubt the best aircraft won. Boeing should have pitted the 777 as i am sure that they would have won with that.
I agree on the A400M although really that is up against hercs rather than the C-17. What should have happened is that the Europeans should have purchased C-130Js and C-17s as a combination. We have them them over here in the UK and they are great. I must admit that i am very sceptical about the merits of the A400M. The programme should have been stopped years ago.
Amazingly the whole process has now been cancelled for the moment -
DoD Announces Termination of KC-X Tanker Solicitation Today, the Department of Defense notified the Congress and the two competing contractors, Boeing and Northrop Grumman, that it is terminating the current competition for a U.S. Air Force airborne tanker replacement. Secretary Gates, in consultation with senior Defense and Air Force officials, has determined that the solicitation and award cannot be accomplished by January. Rather than hand the next Administration an incomplete and possibly contested process, Secretary Gates decided that the best course of action is to provide the next Administration with full flexibility regarding the requirements, evaluation criteria and the appropriate allocation of defense budget to this mission. Secretary Gates stated, “Over the past seven years the process has become enormously complex and emotional – in no small part because of mistakes and missteps along the way by the Department of Defense. It is my judgment that in the time remaining to us, we can no longer complete a competition that would be viewed as fair and objective in this highly charged environment. The resulting “cooling off” period will allow the next Administration to review objectively the military requirements and craft a new acquisition strategy for the KC-X.” In making this decision, it was concluded that the current KC-135 fleet can be adequately maintained to satisfy Air Force missions for the near future. Sufficient funds will be recommended in the FY09 and follow-on budgets to maintain the KC-135 at high-mission capable rates. In addition, the Department will recommend to the Congress the disposition of the pending FY09 funding for the tanker program and plans to continue funding the KC-X program in the FY10 to FY15 budget presently under review. DOD press release
My wings are like a shield of steel.