by The Associated Press
Published: Tue, September 16, 2008 - 10:21 am CST
WASHINGTON (AP) - Acting Air Force Secretary Michael Donley saidMonday the latest failed attempt to award a $40 billion aerial
refueling plane contract was "a missed opportunity" that leaves
the military with an unclear path on how to replace its aging fleet
of tankers.
Speaking at the Air Force Association's annual conference,
Donley said a decision by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to
postpone the latest round of bidding on the contract means the
service "needs a new approach" when it tries again next year to
pick a defense contractor to build 179 new planes.
Gates last week canceled bidding between Boeing and Northrop
Grumman, calling for a "cooling off" period between the bitter
rivals.
It was the latest delay in seven years of trying to find a
contractor to build the jets. The Air Force says there is a
pressing need for the planes since some of the service's current
tankers are nearly 50 years old.
General Norton Schwartz, the Air Force chief of staff, told
reporters Monday that awarding a new contract could take anywhere
from eight months to four years.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Shelby & Sessions: Tanker Needed Now
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