The Air Force plans to use the Boeing KC-46 Pegasus’s Capability Production Document “as the most affordable requirements basis” for the new program, potentially giving the embattled aerospace manufacturer a leg up in a competition.
The new aircraft design has been validated through simulations so far, according to Airbus, so the company would be in a position to move ahead promptly, without the need for a demonstrator, should customers require it.
Michigan’s defense ecosystem and expertise makes it a special asset for production.
"How in the hell do you lose an F-35?"
The surprise withdrawal of the aerospace giant could give Boeing a leg up as the Air Force moves toward a contract award for a new fleet of refuelers, analysts told Breaking Defense.
"We just kind of need to get their no-kidding ground truth of, ‘this is what we think we can deliver and when we think we can deliver it,'" Andrew Hunter, the service's acquisition chief, said in a Sept. 5 interview at the Pentagon.
Each KC-46A will take about two months to retrofit with a new vision system, according to the Air Force’s program lead, a fix that will address two of six remaining critical defects in Boeing’s Pegasus air refueling tanker.
The initial command and control gateway to earn a continuous Authority to Operate is changing multi-domain operations.
“I think what you're hearing from individuals like Hon. Hunter and Hon. Kendall is a recognition that the requirements that went into the JCIDS process are not revolutionary," said Scott Boyd, Air Force deputy program manager for mobility aircraft.
Speaking to Breaking Defense fresh off a tour of a French MRTT, a KC-46A Pegasus pilot and boom operator discussed some of the pros and cons between the plane that's the basis for Lockheed's LMXT and their own Pegasus tanker.
Lockheed's selection of GE Aerospace's CF6 engines comes as the Air Force weighs sole-sourcing a next round of tankers to Boeing or opening up a competition.
Air Force acquisition chief Andrew Hunter indicated he was leaning toward buying 75 more KC-46A tankers as a bridge to an accelerated next-gen program.
Consolidate network monitoring, performance management, and fault isolation into a single, comprehensive solution.
Rob Wittman, who is currently the top Republican on the HASC’s seapower and projection forces subcommittee, is seeking the chair of HASC’s tactical air and land forces subcommittee next year.
“If the [KC-Y] competition doesn't go forward, I'm not convinced the next competition would be for a [clean-sheet KC-Z]," said Larry Gallogly, Lockheed’s LMXT campaign director.
Although lawmakers repeatedly said their position wasn't meant to favor a particular company, in some respects the debate was held over parochial lines, as some of the most outspoken had interests in their districts.
“Future refueling operations with the LMXT boom offer a number of possibilities and that future is not far off,” said Ken Moss, a retired U.S. Air Force tanker pilot and Lockheed Martin’s LMXT campaign manager.