“We’re close” to launching a new tanker competition, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley told reporters Monday at AFA’s Air & Space Conference. He said the new draft for proposals would be out “in a couple of weeks,” with the announcement coming not from Donley but from Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who will also explain the rules of the new contest. And, Donley said he sees nothing in the recent World Trade Organization ruling that would alter the course of the tanker contest. “We see no immediate impact,” he said, since there are still “months” of process and potential appeals remaining to play out over the WTO ruling.
The Air Force's Rapid Capabilities Office will serve as the program executive office for the Advanced Battle Management System, which looks to connect sensors and shooters in real-time. The move means the Air Force is ready to move toward buying systems and proving that its ABMS strategy is working, said…