Tanker Contract Competition Canceled

Air Force tanker crews will have to wait a little longer before they learn which aircraft – Boeing’s 767-based platform or the Northrop Grumman/EADS/Airbus KC-X – will replace the aged KC-135s they have been flying for nearly 50 years. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told Congress Sept. 10 he is canceling the competition for the $35 billion contract. The decision defers selection to the next presidential administration. The quest for a new tanker has been marked by disputes between the contractors, as well as documented irregularities in contract bidding procedures. In the meantime, Gates assured lawmakers that aircraft maintenance crews would continue to ensure that the fleet of KC-135s would remain fit to fly.