USAF Announces Tanker Contract
(Washington, February 29, 2008) -- Secretary of the Air Force, Michael W. Wynne, and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Gen. Duncan J. McNabb, announced the selection of Northrop Grumman Corporation, headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif., as the winner of the KC-X competition for development and procurement of up to 179 tanker aircraft for approximately $35 billion.
The initial contract for the newly-named KC-45 is for the system design and development of four test aircraft for $1.5 billion. This contract also includes five production options targeted for 64 aircraft at $10.6 billion.
"The tanker is our number one procurement priority right now. Buying the new KC-45A is a major step forward and another demonstration of our commitment to recapitalizing our Eisenhower-era inventory of these critical national assets. Today is not just important for the Air Force, however. It's important for the entire Joint military team, and important for our coalition partners as well. The KC-45A will revolutionize our ability to employ tankers and will ensure the Air Force's future ability to provide our nation with truly Global Vigilance, Reach, and Power," said General McNabb.
"It is the first step in our critical commitment to recapitalize our aging fleet to move, supply, and position assets anywhere. In this global Air Force business, the critical element for air bridge, global Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, and global strike is the tanker," said General McNabb.
The KC-45A will provide significantly greater air refueling capabilities than the current fleet of Eisenhower-era KC-135s it will begin replacing. For example, it will be able to refuel Air Force and Navy aircraft on every flight. These aircraft have different systems for receiving fuel and today the KC-135s must be set up for one or the other before takeoff. The KC-45A will be equipped for both systems on every flight and will also have connections for wing pods. When wing pods are installed, it can refuel two probe-equipped aircraft, such as Navy and many allied aircraft, at the same time. It can even be refueled in flight by other tankers.
The KC-45A will also have defensive systems that allow it to go into dangerous environments that are currently avoided. It will also supplement our airlift fleet by carrying cargo, passengers, and medical patients in a secondary role.
The KC-X source selection used a "best value" determination to select a winner based on five factors: Mission Capability, Proposal Risk, Past Performance, Cost/Price, and an Integrated Fleet Air Refueling Assessment (performance in a simulated war scenario). These five factors were developed after consulting with industry and were finalized prior to starting the competition. Considered together, these grading criteria ensured the Air Force maximized the capability delivered to the warfighter while optimizing the taxpayers' investment.
The Air Force followed a carefully structured process, designed to provide transparency, maintain integrity and promote fair competition. The Air Force met with offerors on numerous occasions to gain a thorough understanding of their proposals and provide feedback on their strengths and weaknesses. The Air Force also provided insight into government cost estimates throughout the process instead of waiting until the post-decision debrief. The competitors indicated they were pleased with the degree of communication.
The evaluation team was comprised of experts covering a broad spectrum of specialties from acquisition to operations and was hand-picked from across the Air Force and other government agencies.
As part of the process, the Air Force will now provide a written notice to both the selected and not-selected and offer to provide a debrief on their bid proposals. To maintain the integrity of that process, the Air Force will be unable to provide additional information about the proposals and contract.
"Today's announcement is the culmination of years of tireless work and attention to detail by our Acquisition professionals and source selection team, who have been committed to maintaining integrity, providing transparency, and promoting a fair competition for this critical aircraft program," said Secretary Wynne. "Through these efforts, we believe we will provide a higher-value resource to the warfighter and the taxpayer."
Source : US Air Force
GE's CF6 Engines To Power USAF Tanker Replacement Program
(Cincinnati, OH., March 3, 2008) -- General Electric Company CF6 engines will power the Northrop Grumman KC-45A aircraft, which was selected Friday by the United States Air Force (USAF) for its tanker replacement program.
The USAF KC-X program calls for 179 tankers, and is the first of three phases to begin replacing the USAF tanker fleet. Including engines, thrust reversers, the flight management system, and services, the approximate value to GE is more than $5 billion (USD) over the life of the program. Initial production engines are scheduled to be delivered in 2010.
"We are extremely pleased to support the Air Force in its number one acquisition priority, and we look forward to delivering a breadth of capability throughout the life of this program," said Scott Donnelly, president and chief executive officer of GE Aviation.
Northrop Grumman Corporation selected the GE CF6-80E1 engine, which has accumulated almost four million flight-hours in commercial operation on the Airbus A330 aircraft, on which the KC-45A is based. The KC-45A will benefit from a Tech CF6 program, launched in 2007 to incorporate advanced technology into the engine's high-pressure turbine area. New technologies include high-pressure turbine airfoil cooling advancements that will enhance operational reliability, lower maintenance costs and improve fuel burn retention.
The KC-45A Tanker carries 45,000 more pounds of fuel than current tanker aircraft, providing a significant boost to the USAF's global reach. It is also designed to refuel Navy and coalition aircraft, and to serve as a multi-role transport aircraft to move passengers, cargo and medical evacuation patients. The CF6 engine family is in service with more than 250 customers worldwide, including Australia and Saudi tankers, almost 7,000 engines delivered to date.
Source : General Electric