Tanker: The Delays Are Beginning
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Posted
by Amy Butler at
11/23/2009 10:10 AM CST
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Pentagon acquisition czar Ashton Carter is giving us reporters reason to give thanks this week (by that, I mean the U.S. Thanksgiving Day holiday).
He's preparing to chat with us today and take some questions on the hot issues of the day, including tanker and VXX (the Marine One replacement).
With Sen. John McCain raising questions about the draft tanker RFP on one side and a host of pro-Boeing legislators complaining about the WTO issue on the other, it is likely we'll be hearing about a final RFP delay.
The final KC-X RFP was to be out by late November, based on the original schedule. Cynical contractors suggest the Pentagon will drop the RFP before the Christmas holiday in December, leaving them to work their proposals through the vacation.
Either way, I doubt we'll see one by the end of this month. Typically, if a top official comes out ahead of a milestone at the Defense Dept. to answer questions about a program, it doesn't bode well for that milestone taking place on time.
But, we'll see. Stranger things have happened (especially in KC-X).
2. Boeing had an awful time getting the WARPs to work on KC-767 and one of the 'fixes' I recalled was to reduce max speed
which immediately makes one wonder if this reduced speed is still fast enough
sure enough, in the Nov 13 Q&A (page 24) they ask if they can meet the boom refueling speed requirement WITHOUT the WARPs installled!!
the AF responded 'umm, NO'
given all the trouble the WARPs have already given Boeing, if they have to go back to the drawing board on a new 'high-speed fix', this could be a major problem for them
they also tried to get the 1200gpm requirement cut again and again were rebuffed
Why he wishes to take questions? Just to have a backup argument just in case KC-X questions are too sharp?
WARPs - Wing Aerial Refueling Pods, the things on the wings that let out the hose
Nov 13 Q&A - available here:
https://www.fbo.gov/utils/view?id=4021d3601a76a0aba1a5fa5bbac97e2d
1200gpm - one of the KC-X requirements is that the boom transfer fuel at 1,200 gallons per minute. Boeing's boom only does '900+' so they have been attacking this requirement every chance they get