Boeing officials said last week that the Air Force told the company to expect the draft request for proposals on the tanker replacement program later this month, followed by a final version in January 2007. USAF should name a winner in September 2007. Word is that the Air Force still is wrestling with whether it wants all one type of aircraft, or a mix of medium and large tankers, since the aircraft will perform the swing role of cargo aircraft.
Unmanned aerial vehicles are fair game for U.S. Special Operations Command’s armed overwatch platform competition, Air Force Special Operations Command boss Lt. James C. “Jim” Slife told reporters on Feb. 26. However, the MQ-9 Reaper drone might not be up to the challenge in its current form, he suggested during…