No decision has been made about whether to extend the May 10 deadline for industry to turn in proposals to win the Air Force’s KC-X tanker contract, Gen. Norton Schwartz, Chief of Staff, said Tuesday during an Air Force Association-sponsored Air Force Breakfast Series presentation in Arlington, Va. However, Schwartz voiced his concurrence with Pentagon spokesmen who’ve said that competition for the KC-X contract is desirable and an extension might be worthwhile. “A modest extension would serve that purpose,” he asserted. Boeing definitely intends to bid. EADS, parent of European aircraft maker Airbus, is mulling whether to submit a proposal in the wake of the pullout in early March of its planned KC-X partner, Northrop Grumman. Reuters wire service reported Tuesday that EADS will decide within the next several weeks. Schwartz said if EADS is “serious” about bidding, the Defense Department would “carefully” consider an extension.
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.