Northrop Grumman received $45 million to overhaul 10 engines in the KC-10 Extender fleet, the Pentagon announced Tuesday. An additional $17.7 million was awarded to the company in a separate contract for KC-10 logistics support. Work on both contracts will be completed by the end of 2018. The Air Force expects the KC-10 to fly into the 2040s. The strategy for a replacement tanker fleet for both the Extender and the KC-135 Stratotanker, originally planned as a new three-tanker force, has recently been up in the air as the Air Force looks to replace its tanker fleet more quickly without falling behind the curve of new technical developments. (See also: Shifting Futures from the Nov. 2016 issue of Air Force Magazine)
The new defense reconciliation bill includes $7.2 billion for Air Force and Navy aviation accounts, almost half of which will buy more F-15EXs. While electronic warfare, drones, connectivity and airlift all get attention, the F-35 was conspicuously absent from the package, with no explanation given.