US Air Force Surveying Industry for Next Tranche of Refueling Tankers Written 17 June 2021

Reuters reports that the US Air Force “said on Wednesday it is surveying the aircraft industry to learn if another manufacturer has the capacity or interest to make the next tranche of midair refueling tankers similar to the recently purchased KC-46.” The sources sought document “is the first step in the process of buying the next batch of refueling tankers.” The Air Force “said the tranche of 140 to 160 jets would follow The Boeing Company’s current contract to produce 179 KC-46’s as the Pentagon replaces hundreds of Eisenhower-era KC-135’s still in service.” The KC-46 has “been plagued by performance challenges including defects with an on-board video system and the boom that connects the tanker to aircraft seeking refueling.” Despite those challenges, acting Secretary of the Air Force John Roth said Wednesday, “At this point we don’t see the economic or business sense of recompeting the contract.”
Full Story (Reuters)