Sometime this fall, according to Kenneth Krieg, DOD’s point man on acquisition, the Pentagon may issue a request for information from contractors interested in providing a tanker replacement for USAF’s elderly KC-135s. In responding to questions after a speech last week at the ComDef 2005 Conference in Washington, Krieg said the analysis of alternatives is still under review, but once that is done, out will come the RFI. Just the week before, USAF retracted an RFI on tankers;that it;admitted was “premature.” (DR, 09/02/05) Likely contractors are not waiting for the starter pistol.
Boeing has only delivered two KC-46 tankers to the Air Force so far in 2021, despite USAF officials saying they expect that total per month, as the service has slowed the delivery pace of the aircraft. Though there are more aircraft ready at Boeing’s facilities, Air Mobility Command is slowing…