The Air Force has chosen Boeing’s 767-based NewGen Tanker to be its new KC-X aerial refueling aircraft under an acquisition program with an estimated value of more than $30 billion. Secretary Michael Donley announced the decision during a Pentagon briefing Thursday. Boeing won out over EADS North America, which offered its A330-based tanker model. Boeing has received a contract valued at more than $3.5 billion for the KC-X engineering and manufacturing development phase. The current schedule is to have Boeing deliver 18 of the planned 179 new tankers by 2017. Donley said USAF is designating the new tanker as the KC-46A. More tanker coverage to come.
A combined Navy and Air Force program is seeking to build a smaller version of a ubiquitous air-to-air missile that could give advanced aircraft, such as the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, greater magazine depth in a high-end fight.