Boeing spokesman Dan Beck, giving an account of how his company handled the recent inadvertent disclosure of a KC-X efficiency analysis meant only for Air Force eyes, said team members “train for these situations.” When the filename “K30B” popped up on an Air Force disc—the KC-30 is EADS’ tanker design—two Boeing employees removed the disc and “locked it in a tamper-proof safe without opening any files or viewing any data,” he said. They then alerted managers and “sealed the safe in the presence of a Boeing security officer,” he explained, They then called Air Force officials, who gave instructions “that were followed,” he continued. EADS North America chief Sean O’Keefe told reporters late last week that his employees likewise “immediately” packed up the errant data and returned it to the Air Force.
The Air Force has finished modifying and testing the new VC-25B Bridge aircraft that will serve as a temporary Air Force One, the service announced May 1. All that’s left now is to finish painting the jet before it starts flying this summer.