by Tiffany Craig
Published: Tue, August 12, 2008 - 4:11 pm CST
Last Updated: Tue, August 12, 2008 - 5:00 pm CST
When Aviation Week magazine suggested that Boeing might be dropping out of the tanker race, the news spread like wildfire.You can read the article yourself by clicking here.
News 5's Tiffany Craig got Boeing spokesman Dan Beck on the phone. Tiffany asked "Can you tell me with certainty that Boeing is staying in this competition?" Beck replied, "Any decision of Boeing's path forward one way or the other would be premature and further speculation would be counterproductive. We remain committed to providing the Air Force with the next generation tanker that meets real-world mission requirements and is selected through a fair, open and unbiased competition following a realistic timetable."
Congressman Jo Bonner weighed in on the idea that Boeing might back out. He's not buying it. "My guess is that Boeing is using that as a negotiation strategy to try and get the Department of Defense to say they would like the 767 which is the smaller and less capable older airplane."
Officials with both companies met with DOD officials on Tuesday to go over the draft Request for Proposals.
Boeing released this statement: "The Boeing Tanker team met with DoD officials to discuss our comments on the draft RFP and gain further clarity in how the requirements and evaluation criteria have changed since the initial competition. We hope that it was just the beginning of a continuing dialogue as we move toward a final RFP that prescribes the right aircraft and gives appropriate weight to all of the capabilities that will be required for the evolving mission over the next several decades."
Northrop Grumman issued the following statement: "Today's meeting was a productive review of the draft amendment and the process that will be undertaken going forward. We had a frank and open dialogue and are confident that the final amendment will clearly outline the requirements that are expected to be met and the evaluation criteria that will be used to select the most capable tanker for the warfighter at the best value for the American taxpayer.
"It is clear that the Defense Department met the concerns raised by the Government Accountability Office, and the draft amendment to the KC-X Tanker Request for Proposals addresses those concerns by clarifying, but not altering the tanker requirements and specifications.
"It is also clear that the department recognizes the need to begin production on the next generation of aerial refueling tankers as quickly as possible. With the current fleet approaching the half-century mark in age, our men and women in uniform should not be asked to wait any longer.
"We look forward to submitting our proposal within the timeline established by the Defense Department."
A final RFP is expected to be released on Friday. Company officials must submit their bids by the beginning of October and a winner is expected to be announced in December.
Tanker Contract Could Be Delayed 5 More Years
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