Tanker to take two more years – report
Published 11:18 am Wednesday, December 10, 2008
The Air Force won’t find a new aerial refueling tanker under the tree this Christmas … or next holiday season … or the one after that …
After more than seven years of asking, the Air Force is at least two years away from getting a tanker, said the chairman of the House subcommittee on defense appropriations.
From Reuters:
“It will take at least another two years, at minimum, before we begin to start procurement of a replacement tanker,” Rep. John Murtha said on Wednesday.
With KC-135 tankers averaging 50 years in age, the Air Force is looking at hiring contractors to bridge the gap until it receives new tankers.
Government auditors found the most recent tanker competition between the Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman and EADS flawed. Defense Secretary Robert Gates postponed a re-bid until the new administration takes office.
