Split on tankers
Published 9:00 pm Monday, March 6, 2006
Coincidental timing … I just finished writing my Wednesday column about my interview with Lexington Institute analyst Loren Thompson, discussing the tanker deal, when this report pops up from Reuters. http://news.airwise.com/story/view/1141771925.html According to the news service, an executive summary of that massive Rand Corp. report was released this afternoon, and their review of it suggests that it’s possible Boeing and Airbus could end up splitting the orders to replace the Air Force’s fleet of 490 KC-135s.
Key Quote: “‘A mixed fleet consisting of more than one of these alternative candidates also has comparable cost-effectiveness, so there is no reason to exclude a priori an Airbus-Boeing mixed buy on cost-effectiveness grounds,’ the study said.”
The report rejects the idea of buying used commercial jets to be converted into tankers, and noted there are “technical uncertainties” in keeping the KC-135s operating into the 2040s — when they’ll be more than 80 years old.
Also Tuesday, Insidedefense.com reported http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,90236,00.html on recent testimony before the House of Representatives on tanker proposals. There’s a difference of opinion in the Pentagon, the Web news service reported.
Key Quote: “Air Mobility Command vice chief Lt. Gen. Christopher Kelly told the House Armed Services force projection subcommittee Feb. 28 that he would prefer the Air Force replace its aging KC-135s with some mix of medium- and large-sized aerial tankers. Deputy service Chief of Staff for Acquisition Lt. Gen. Donald Hoffman, meanwhile, told the panel he advocates buying only a single version of a medium-sized refueling aircraft.”
This story includes comments from Thompson, who told the Insidedefense.com something that he also told me.
Key Quote: “(Thompson) … said he feels the Air Force seems confident it possesses adequate aerial refueling capability for missions in the Middle East, ‘but there’s a gap’ for how they would tank during Pacific operations. To Thompson, that means range could emerge as the service’s most-pressing requirement.”
Thompson’s been following the tanker deal from inside the Beltway since Day One. Check The Herald tomorrow to see more of what he had to tell me about it.
