By Marina Malenic
PARIS–Anticipating the revival of an aerial refueling tanker fleet replacement competition with rival Northrop Grumman [NOC] in the coming weeks, Boeing [BA] executives here have indicated that they could offer the Air Force a tanker variant based on the company’s commercial 777 airplane instead of the smaller 767 they bid unsuccessfully in last year’s competition.
“No matter what acquisition strategy they put forward, we’re ready,” David Bowman, vice president for Boeing tanker programs, told Defense Daily.
Bowman said Boeing is prepared to offer either an aircraft within its family of six different 767 aircraft or one of its larger 777 models, depending upon the terms of the new request for proposals (RFP), expected in the coming weeks.
“If the Air Force comes in and says, ‘what we’re really going to value is a very agile airplane,’ that gets toward the 767 size airplane,” he said. However, if maximum fuel carrying capability is a top criteria, Boeing will bid a 777, he said.
“And, in between, there is a whole family of different models,” he added.
Last year, Boeing successfully challenged a contract award to Northrop Grumman and its European partner EADS, claiming the Air Force’s intent to favor the aircraft with maximum fuel offloading capability within certain cost and range restrictions was not made clear in the RFP. The Air Force had chosen Northrop Grumman’s KC-30, based on a larger Airbus A330 jet.
Paul Meyer, vice president and manager of Northrop Grumman’s tanker program, said during a press briefing that he expects a new RFP to emerge next month. He said the fuel capacity issue must be clarified in the coming weeks.
“If this is not resolved, the same question or sustained position that the GAO [Government Accountability Office] upheld the last time is open, it’s left unresolved,” Meyer said.
Asked whether omission of the criteria would lead to another protest, he replied, “I believe so.” He stopped short of saying that the company would not submit a proposal at all under those circumstances.
Meanwhile, according to Pentagon sources, Gates is expected to receive a tanker briefing from Air Force officials shortly, before deciding on a new acquisition strategy.
Representatives from both companies said new discussions with officials from the Air Force and Gates’ office have begun.
“What’s happened is dialogue [on] industry concerns from the last time and what’s going on today and what we do in the future,” Bowman said. He characterized the discussions as being largely about “what was in the RFP last time and how was it evaluated.”