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.
My wings are like a shield of steel.