The Def
ense Acquisition Board now will not take up the KC-X tanker replacement contract award until Feb. 25 or 26, instead of the earlier date of Feb. 13. There was no word on what has prompted the delay, but Air Force officials have steadfastly maintained that the service would take the time necessary to ensure a thorough—protest-safe—selection process. The service has dubbed the new tanker KC-45 and plans three buys, starting with 179 aircraft in the X program and followed by Y and Z increments to replace its entire KC-135 fleet. USAF has requested $62 million in its Fiscal 2009 budget proposal to fund advance procurement of parts for five KC-45s it plans to buy in Fiscal 2010.
The KC-Z4, a blended wing body tanker concept being developed by startup JetZero, could fuel larger groups of aircraft at longer range to hold more targets at risk, company officials say.