Battle lines were drawn here this week for round three of the Great Tanker War. Conflict is likely to break out next month, when the Pentagon is expected to issue a new draft request for proposals (RFP) for the KC-X program. Boeing said that it may now offer a tanker version of the 777. EADS and Northrop Grumman officials said that their KC-45 proposal based on the Airbus A330 tanker won round-two last year because it offered “best value” and would be disadvantaged if the selection philosophy was changed to “low price/technically acceptable” (LPTA).
Boeing’s protest over the KC-45 selection was sustained on only eight out of some 100 counts. “We’ve spent the last year poring over the lessons to be learned. We’re listening, and are ready to change our offering if that’s what is required,” said Boeing vice president for tankers Dave Bowman. As it awaits the draft RFP, Boeing has labeled its campaign “KC-7A7.” Bowman said that if the U.S. Air Force values more fuel, cargo and payload capacity, he will offer the 777, or maybe the larger -300 or -400 versions of the 767. Last year’s KC-767 proposal was based on the shorter 767-200 fuselage with -300 wings.
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