Six or seven companies want an agreement with the Air Force like the one the service recently signed with Textron [TXT], according to service Secretary Deborah James.
James said Tuesday Textron is paying the Air Force to perform an airworthiness assessment of its Scorpion aircraft as part of the unique cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) signed by the two parties. She said the airworthiness assessment is an attempt to spur foreign sales of the aircraft, which was developed on Textron funds, but has yet to find a foreign, or domestic, buyer.
James believes helping allies acquire aircraft benefits the Air Force.
“Certainly foreign military sales (FMS) and our partnerships around the world are crucial for our military-to-military relationships and to the foreign policy of the United States,” James said. “We see this as a win-win.”
James, at a Defense One event in Washington, said the CRADA idea is part of the Air Force’s “bending the cost curve” initiative to help improve innovation and the speed of acquisition while lowering the price of programs. The Textron CRADA is the first time a non-acquisition aircraft will receive an Air Force airworthiness assessment.
Despite a recent small victory with the KC-46 program, James announced the program’s delivery of its 18th aircraft, known as the required assets available (RAA) milestone, was pushed back five months to January 2018. Service spokesman Maj. Robert Leese said in an email prime contractor Boeing [BA] and the Air Force recently completed the annual schedule risk assessment (SRA), which he called a comprehensive review of all remaining work that takes into account risks having a high likelihood of delaying key program events.
Leese said due primarily to challenges certifying the hose-and-drogue air refueling systems and the time needed to incorporate design changes into production aircraft, the SRA results predicted a delay in initial KC-46 deliveries and a delay in achieving the August 2017 RAA milestone, defined as 18 full-capability tankers. The KC-46s to be delivered will be equipped with the required capabilities except the wing aerial refueling pods (WASP). Leese said Boeing expects completing the WARP deliveries by October 2018 to satisfy the RAA.
James also downplayed reports that the Air Force was considering acquiring two different aircraft to replace the A-10, calling these reports predecisional and that she had not been seen any proposals. James added she was unsure where the Air Force would get the money to pursue such an endeavor. The Air Force recently backed off A-10 requirements plans under congressional pressure.