The Air Force has been talking with lawmakers behind the scenes over the past few weeks and already has run its yet-to-be-released final request for proposals around Capitol Hill, reports the Congressional newspaper The Hill. The service has been put on notice by Northrop Grumman, who fears its Northrop-EADS team KC-30 will not fare well in a head-to-head with Boeing’s KC-767, that it may opt out of the competition. If so, then there is no competition, and that would sour the entire program for key lawmakers. Both Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), leader of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) want a “real” competition.
The Pentagon announced new long-term agreements with four defense companies May 13 to develop and produce large numbers of low-cost cruise missiles. And while the effort will focus mostly on the Army to start, it pairs with Air Force efforts to find more affordable munitions.