According to various lawmakers, the Pentagon does plan to recompete the Air Force’s KC-X tanker program award, following the Government Accountability Office rejection of the process that awarded the program to Northrop Grumman/EADS in February. Defense Secretary Robert Gates intends to announce same today. (See coverage in July 10 Daily Report column.) DOD and Air Force acquisition officials are slated to appear before a House panel Thursday (see below).
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.