Boeing Tanker Won over EADS's Tanker

Well, I am surprise by this announcement. I thought for sure that enough lobbyists from both sides had enough congressmen and senators paid off that the final decision would be a split purchase between the two companies.

And going by what one article said, that may still be in the works for a future purchase after these first 176 KC-46As are purchased. Price tag is $30 billion plus. EADS version of its Airbus A330 plane to be converted over to a tanker would have been called the KC-45A.

Problems with the F-35 keep on taking place along with the price tag keeps on going up. The USAF is rapidly retiring many of its legacy fighter aircraft such as the F-15 and F-16. Just to try and keep the wonder plane (i.e F-35) on track.

As a smaller aircraft, the KC-46A is expected to burn less fuel in absolute terms than the KC-45 over a 30 year lifespan for the airframe.

Boeing has to deliver the first 18 KC-46As within six years of the contract award date. The production spans over 13 years for building all 179 aircraft. And Boeing has confirmed that first flight for the KC-46A is scheduled for 2015. So, we should see a KC-46A flying by February 2015. I won't hold my breath. Something ALWAYS happens to screw up the production schedule. Then Boeing has to go to Congress to get more funds, etc., etc.

Now its a race against time. The USAF has 400 really old KC-135 Stratotankers that have to be replaced. Many of them are 50+ years old.

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Ref.

1. ELP Defens(c)e Blog. "Boeing KC-46A air-refueling tanker for the USAF. Now what? #military" by Eric Palmer. February 24, 2011. (http://ericpalmer.wordpress.com/2011/02/25/boeing-kc-46a-air-refueling-tanker-for-the-usaf-now-what-military/).

2. Flight Global.com. "USAF selects Boeing for KC-X contract" by Stephen Trimble. (http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/02/24/353642/updated-usaf-selects-boeing-for-kc-x-contract.html).

The Ongoing Saga of the Charlie-Foxtrot Tanker Deal

Well, I think after reading this article (see link below in ref section), the Great US Air Tanker saga is going to end up with a split buy between Boeing and Northrop Grumman.

Its (really) no longer about getting what the Air Force really needs. It's about politics and keep voters supplied with jobs in key states. That means both Boeing and Northrop Grumman will both win the KC-X tanker project.

The KC-135s are REALLY long in the tooth now and needs to be replaced quickly as possible. Neither company is in favor of the dual build contract. Boeing and Northrop Grumman want a winner take all approach. The USAF supply chain would prefer just a single type of aircraft to support for this mission instead of two.

By doing the split buy, the Air Force gets new tankers in the air quicker. Current projections mean that at least 15 new tankers can be built a year. It will take decades to replace ALL of the KC-135.

Image is of the Boeing offering based upon the Boeing 767 airframe.

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Ref. (http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/split-25582-aerospace-tanker.html)

American Defense Cuts

AP News Report (Washington D.C.) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates announched deep cuts to some of the Pentagon's biggest weapons programs like stopping production of the USAF's $140 billion F-22 fighter jet prgram.

The U.S. Army modernization program will be rolled back and a new search-and-rescue helicopter will be cut out as well.

So far, it looks like the battle between the air-tanker companies will go on and more and more KC-135s are grounded for much needed repairs and upgrades.  

UPDATE:  F-22 not totally cancelled.  Enough pressure was brought forth to keep production going at a trinkle.  Boeing's C-17 was also, it seemed, saved. New replacement long-range bombers have been scrapped. 

What appears to be scrapped right now Future Combat System.

Missile Defense Program scaled back program cost by $1.4 billion.  The second Boeing airborne laser demonstration aircraft is cancelled.

For the Navy, Gates proposes a 5-year build cycle of Aircraft Carriers. (This projects the Navy operating just 10 aircraft carriers by the year 2040). Plus the new DDG-1000 destroyers are to be built in just one shipyard in a cost savings move.  And at General Dynamics, they will restart DDG-51 building at the Northrop shipyard.

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Ref.  ( http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D97D47CG0&show_article=1 ), ( http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0640476720090406)