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US air tanker decision postponed |
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Monday, 15 September 2008 |
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The US DoD has announced that it is postponing the current competition for a new USAF airborne tanker replacement.
The US department of defence (DoD) has notified Congress and two competing contractors, Boeing and Northrop Grumman, that the current competition for a US Air Force (USAF) airborne tanker replacement is being put on hold.
The DoD said that it was no longer confident that the solicitation and award of the KC-X tanker could be completed by January, and suggested that it will allow the next Administration to embark upon the fleet replacement programme.
In making its decision, it concluded that the current fleet of KC-135 airborne tankers can be safely maintained to cover all USAF missions in the near future.
Defence secretary Robert Gates said: "It is my judgment that in the time remaining to us, we can no longer complete a competition that would be viewed as fair and objective in this highly charged environment.
"The resulting 'cooling off' period will allow the next Administration to review objectively the military requirements and craft a new acquisition strategy for the KC-X."
Previously, Northrop Grumman and its European partner EADS had been awarded the $35 billion (£ ) contract, but the competition was reopened following an appeal by US defence group Boeing, which had submitted plans for a rival tanker.
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