Is failure an option in KC-X competition?

With Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) set to hold the tanker hearing on Thursday (Jan. 27), it is clear the USAF continues to drag on its decision in the KC-X competition, which was expected this month. It now looks… Read More

Odds and Ends: Big week for EADS, Boeing

It will be a big week for EADS and Boeing on a variety of topics: January 26 is Boeing’s year-end earnings call. More guidance on 787 deliveries and speculation of potential writes-offs mounts. On #1’s former, we think… Read More

EADS had Boeing data for a month, Sen. Cantwell charges; EADS denies it

Side note: While EADS and Boeing fight over the USAF tanker contract, and neither one is capable of delivering their respective tankers on time, IAI Bedek of Israel completed conversion of the Boeing 767-200ER (the same airplane Boeing… Read More

KC-30A for RAAF involved in in-flight incident, refueling boom lost

Australian Aviation has this story about an in-flight incident during a refueling test between the Airbus KC-30A and an F-16. Readers will recall a Boeing KC-767J for Japan Air Defense Services had an incident in which the boom… Read More

Countdown on KC-X tanker award

Comments are still closed. Readers interested in posting Comments, please read our New Policies on Comments. Comments are re-opened, but moderated. EADS CEO Louis Gallois went public today in Europe with his prediction that the USAF will award… Read More

Looking ahead for the tanker award

Will it ever end? This is the question about the interminable KC-X tanker competition. Unofficial word is now that the USAF is to announce its award in February, after slipping from January, December, November, October and August. US… Read More

Odds and ends: Airbus/EADS and Boeing

With Christmas around the corner, here are some year-end thoughts, absent any breaking news of some kind in the week ahead: 737 upgrade: Southwest Airlines continues to pressure Boeing to do something about a more fuel efficient airplane,… Read More

Outsourcing US Defense

As regular readers know, a major piece of controversy over the prospect of awarding the KC-X contract to EADS North America is the assertion that this will outsource US defense procurement to a foreign company. We’ve noted in… Read More

EADS will likely win tanker, says Boeing consultant

Update, Dec. 9, 5:00 AM PST: Politico has this profile on Loren Thompson. Flight Global reports Brazil may select the KC-45 to replace its Boeing KC-137 (KC-135). Update, 5:00 PM PST: Dominic Gates now has his story on… Read More

USAF, EADS need to come forward with full details

The USAF and EADS need to come forward with full details to fully explain the latest cock-up (a British term, not an obscene one) in which the Air Force mistakenly sent EADS and Boeing proprietary information about the… Read More