The Air Force on Tuesday afternoon released its final request for proposals in the tanker replacement program, saying it followed “an extensive and transparent dialogue” with members of Congress, industry, and DOD officials. The so-called KC-X program is the first of three acquisition efforts the Air Force plans to pursue to replace its entire fleet of elderly KC-135 tankers. On this first effort, there have been two announced competitors—Boeing and a Northrop Grumman-EADS team—but recently Northrop has said it might withdraw, pending its favorable review of the final RFP. Without Northrop, there would be no competition and that might bring down Congressional wrath—again.
A three-month continuing resolution that ended in December inflicted less pain on the Department of the Air Force than it had expected, as procurement and construction continue in the new year. The federal government operated under a stopgap spending measure that stretched from the beginning of the fiscal year on…