Thu, Feb 24, 2011
Air Force Secretary Says One Percent Price Difference Means A
Significant Savings For Taxpayers
Boeing will continue to build tankers for the U.S. Air Force.
Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donely announced Thursday
afternoon that the $35 billion contract for the new
tanker, designated KC-46A, would be awarded to
the Seattle-based planemaker.
Boeing NewGen Tanker File Photo
The Air Force-led selection effort included experts from the
larger Department of Defense community, including the office of the
Defense Secretary's staff and independent review teams during each
step of the process.
"Many factors were evaluated during the tanker selection
process,” said Secretary Donley. The selection "took into
account mission effectiveness in wartime and life cycle costs as
embodied in fuel efficiency and military construction costs," said
Donley, emphasizing that both offerors met all the mandatory
requirements. “The thorough and transparent selection process
was marked by continual dialogue with offerors to ensure the Air
Force had a clear understanding of their proposals and the
companies clearly understood the service's analysis of their
offers,” He said.
"Gen. Schwartz and I are confident in the fact that when our
young pilots, boom operators and maintainers receive this aircraft,
they will have the tools they need to be successful at what we ask
them to do," Donley said. "To the men and women of our Air Force,
today's announcement represents a long-overdue start to a
much-needed program," Donley said. "Your Air Force leadership,
supported by others throughout the Department of Defense, is
determined to see this through, and we will stand behind this
work."
The program will deliver the first 18 aircraft by 2017.
Basing decisions for the aircraft will take place over the next
couple of years. Donely said he and other senior Air Force
officials would be available to de-brief representatives from both
Airbus and Boeing on the selection process, as well as members of
Congress. He said that he hoped that this would be the end of the
sometimes-bitter feud over the tanker contract, and that the
process could move forward. "The warfighter deserves no less," he
said.
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