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

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

Laying the groundwork for a Boeing appeal on KC-X

Update, Dec. 1: George Talbot of The Mobile Press-Register has this interesting interview with Michael Wynne, a former top defense department procurement official, who suggests a solution to the KC-X quandary. Also, at 12:50pm PST: Bloomberg has this… Read More

Snapshot: EADS press conference, mainly on Tanker and USAF faux pas

We attended a press conference today in Washington (DC) with Sean O’Keefe, CEO of EADS North America, that covered a variety of issues but focused mainly on the KC-X tanker competition and most particularly the news last week… Read More

Tanker shortage cancels Red Flag exercise

Update, Nov. 17: EADS now is predicting the tanker contract award will slip to next year. This is entirely consistent with what we have been hearing (first quarter) and what we understand Boeing believes as well. Original Post:… Read More

Elections results and the KC-X

The election results could have a major affect on the KC-X tanker competition. The headlines are: The Republican takeover of the House means Norm Dicks (D-Boeing/WA) loses is chairmanship of the House Appropriations subcommittee on defense, a position… Read More

New delay likely in tanker competition

We have been told by two sources, including one that is very close to the competition, that the Air Force is likely to announce a new delay soon in evaluation and award of a contract in the long-running… Read More

Air Force chief ambiguous on tanker selection timing

The Hill, a specialty publication reporting on matters of “the Hill,” aka Congress, reports today that the chief of the US Air Force won’t confirm selection of the winner for the KC-X program will be selected this year…. Read More