As KC-135Es retire, Air Force officials' focus shifts to KC-X

by Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol, Air Mobility Command Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFNS) -- One of the last of the KC-135E Stratotankers to retire made its final flight Sept. 28 to Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, and after more than 50 years of service, tail number 56-1503 will be relegated to a life as one of several planes used for aircraft maintenance training on the base.

This KC-135E was built in 1956 and was one of 161 KC-135Es that once were in the Air Force fleet. Today's Airmen keep the current Air Force fleet of 415 KC-135Rs flying until they will be replaced in the decades to come.

The KC-135E also brings to light the Air Force's need to get the new KC-X tankers, Air Mobility Command officials said.

On Sept. 24, just four days before the Sheppard AFB KC-135E was flown for the last time, Department of Defense officials announced a new KC-X tanker draft request for proposal has gone out. The plan calls for 179 aerial refueling tankers to replace the half-century old KC-135. The new KC-X will also augment the airlift fleet by carrying cargo, passengers and medical patients in a secondary role.

With the KC-X announcement, Gen. Arthur J. Lichte, the AMC commander, was glad to hear the news.

"This is a great day not only for Air Mobility Command, which operates our nation's fleet of aerial refueling aircraft, but also for our country as this is a capability we critically need," he said. "As a warfighter, I'm glad to see this day come."

As the KC-X process continues, officials said AMC's challenge will be to continue meeting a steep requirement of worldwide air refueling needs by the Air Force and its joint and coalition partners. That job falls to the aircrew, maintenance and other support personnel.

The KC-135 fleet currently maintains an 80 percent mission capable rate, officials from AMC's Logistics Directorate reported. For each hour of flight of a KC-135, it requires an average of seven to eight man-hours of maintenance. The KC-135E sent to Sheppard AFB to train maintenance Airmen helps in preparing new maintainers to meet this effort.

In the Air Force, every time a KC-135 mission is flown, it requires a crew chief and two assistants to inspect the plane for repairs. When something needs repaired, a specialist is called in. Currently, the top KC-135 systems incurring the most maintenance man-hours in the field are the fuel tank systems, auxiliary power units, flight controls and engine instruments.

Another item to consider is every year, approximately 72 KC-135s go through Air Force Materiel Command's depot maintenance with a number of age-related issues needing to be addressed. KC-135 systems and maintenance managers said this is causing the days in depot to grow. Planners also note that the older the KC-135s get, the more resources in time, manpower and money it will takes to fix them.

AMC projections show that in the next 15 to 30 years, there will be an anticipated increase in planned depot maintenance for KC-135s. This will include rewiring, reskinning, corrosion control and other structural maintenance as well as overhauling flight controls and upgrading aging analog systems in the aircraft. That extra maintenance could increase annual costs anywhere from $2 billion to $6 billion.

While some retired KC-135Es are set up for training at Sheppard AFB, others are set aside for parts at the "boneyard" at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.

"It (the aircraft) may be here for another 15 to 20 years as we harvest parts off it," said Col. Tom Schneider, the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group commander. "We are going to put this aircraft to good use. It will go into storage, which means it will be eligible for parts withdrawal to keep the rest of the fleet flying."

Officials are confident they can keep the worldwide air refueling mission going with the KC-135R and KC-10 Extender fleet. However, they also are fervently awaiting the new tanker.

The time is now to move on with this program, said General Lichte of the Air Force's No. 1 procurement priority. This is a critical commitment to recapitalize a key aircraft supporting the national military strategy.

Air Force officials begin search for new aerial tanker

by Master Sgt. Russell Petcoff, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Senior Department of Defense and Air Force officials announced the rollout of the KC-X Acquisition Program at a Pentagon briefing Sept. 24. Air Force leaders are seeking a replacement for the KC-135 Stratotanker that has been a stalwart of the tanker fleet for more than 53 years.

Today, the department is announcing its acquisition strategy for a replacement aerial refueling tanker fleet for the aging KC-135 and KC-10 fleet, said William J. Lynn, deputy secretary of defense. He termed the search to be a "best value" competition, not one based solely on cost.

"We tried to play this straight down the middle," Mr. Lynn said.

Michael Donley, secretary of the Air Force, and Ashton B. Carter, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, also took part in the hour-long briefing.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates returned the KC-X program to the Air Force during an address he gave at the 2009 Air Force Association Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition at the National Harbor Convention Center, Oxon Hill, Md., Sept. 16.

"I don't need to belabor the importance of getting this done soon and done right," Secretary Gates said. "I have confidence that the KC-X selection authority is in good hands with the service's leadership team of Secretary Donley and (Air Force Chief of Staff) General (Norton) Schwartz."

Secretary Donley said the KC-135 first joined the service's inventory in August 1956, with the youngest one dating to 1964. The ever-accumulating age of the tanker fleet is driving this effort, he said.

"We need to move on with this recapitalization," Secretary Donley said. Air Force officials hope to announce a KC-X decision in the summer of 2010.

Currently, there are 415 KC-135s in the Air Force inventory. The KC-X program calls for 179 new tankers over 15 years, according to Secretary Donley.

The first production KC-X delivery is planned for 2015, Secretary Donley said, with a planned initial operating capability of 2017.

"As we integrate the KC-X into the fleet, we will begin evaluating our future tanker needs and begin work on the second phase, KC-Y," Secretary Donley said. A third phase is called KC-Z.

KC-X must be a highly capable and go-to-war-on-day-1-ready aircraft for the warfighter, Secretary Donley said.

"We expect the KC-X to be far more capable than the KC-135," Secretary Donley said.

The KC-X has several mandatory requirements, according to Secretary Donley. It must have:

· a permanent centerline drogue to refuel receptacle and probe-equipped aircraft;

· a receiver receptacle to allow it to refuel from KC-135s, KC-10s or another KC-Xs;

· an integrated Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures system, which the current tankers do not have; and

· improved communications; navigation and air traffic capabilities to allow it global airspace access.

Mr. Carter said the source selection strategy will be objective to ensure contractors bidding on KC-X know what it takes to win. He said it'll also be transparent so when a winner is chosen everyone can understand why that bidder won.

Mr. Carter said the RFP favors "no one but the warfighter and taxpayer."

SecDEF announces return of KC-X program

by Tech. Sgt. Amaani Lyle, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced the return of the KC-X program to the Air Force during the 2009 Air Force Association Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition at the National Harbor, Oxon Hill, Md., Sept. 16.

The announcement sparked applause as KC-X, the Air Force's tanker acquisition program, was delayed after the Government Accountability Office upheld a protest to the source selection.

"I don't need to belabor the importance of getting this done soon and done right, and my office will continue to have a robust oversight role," Secretary Gates said to conference attendees. "I have confidence that the KC-X selection authority is in good hands with the service's leadership team of Secretary (of the Air Force Michael) Donley and (Air Force Chief of Staff) General (Norton) Schwartz ... I depend greatly on their advice and strategic vision to fulfill my duties."

Secretary Donley noted that SecDEF's decision aligns with the Air Force's recapitalization agenda.

"The Air Force is pleased at today's announcement and the confidence Secretary Gates is placing in the Air Force," Secretary Donley said. "Tanker recapitalization remains the Air Force's number one acquisition priority."

Secretary Donley added that a draft request for proposal is close to release and will be presented with ample time for discussion to interested parties with offers.

"The Air Force is looking forward to leading the KC-X acquisition program and working closely with the Office of the Secretary of Defense to a successful conclusion, thus providing the warfighter this critical capability for years to come," Secretary Donley said.

DoD Announces Termination of KC-X Tanker Solicitation

Today, the Department of Defense notified the Congress and the two competing contractors, Boeing and Northrop Grumman, that it is terminating the current competition for a U.S. Air Force airborne tanker replacement.

Secretary Gates, in consultation with senior Defense and Air Force officials, has determined that the solicitation and award cannot be accomplished by January. Rather than hand the next Administration an incomplete and possibly contested process, Secretary Gates decided that the best course of action is to provide the next Administration with full flexibility regarding the requirements, evaluation criteria and the appropriate allocation of defense budget to this mission.

Secretary Gates stated, “Over the past seven years the process has become enormously complex and emotional – in no small part because of mistakes and missteps along the way by the Department of Defense. It is my judgment that in the time remaining to us, we can no longer complete a competition that would be viewed as fair and objective in this highly charged environment. The resulting “cooling off” period will allow the next Administration to review objectively the military requirements and craft a new acquisition strategy for the KC-X.”

In making this decision, it was concluded that the current KC-135 fleet can be adequately maintained to satisfy Air Force missions for the near future. Sufficient funds will be recommended in the FY09 and follow-on budgets to maintain the KC-135 at high-mission capable rates. In addition, the Department will recommend to the Congress the disposition of the pending FY09 funding for the tanker program and plans to continue funding the KC-X program in the FY10 to FY15 budget presently under review.

AMC commander reinforces need for new tanker

by Staff Sgt. Monique Randolph, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

A KC-135 Stratotanker sits on the flightline at Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, awaiting ground crews to de-ice the tanker before it takes off on a refueling mission. The new KC-45A will replace the aging fleet of KC-135s. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Paul Clifford)

WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- While many are focused on the formal protest of the recent KC-45A contract award, the needs of the warfighter -- and the nation -- remain unchanged. The Air Force's nearly 50-year-old KC-135 Stratotanker must be replaced with a newer, more capable aircraft as soon as possible.

"This is a matter of national security and we can't lose sight of that as a nation. It's critically urgent that we get on with bringing a new tanker into our fleet; our global range and global reach rely on the tanker," said Gen. Arthur J. Lichte, the commander of Air Mobility Command. "Tankers give us the ability to go anywhere on the face of the planet and strike our enemies, or deliver cargo or humanitarian aid."

The tanker procurement, if it goes as planned, is still a 30-year process, which means Airmen could still be flying the KC-135 into the year 2040, the general said. Considering most airlines retired the commercial version of the KC-135 -- the Boeing 707 -- years ago, "It's unconscionable for us to ask our Airmen to fly in, and attempt to maintain, aircraft that are 80 years old," he said.

The aging aircraft puts a significant strain on maintenance and aircrews who keep them in the air, said General Lichte.

"The only reason the KC-135s are doing so well now is because of the total force Airmen at our bases keeping them flying," he said. "For every sortie we fly, aircrews and maintenance remain flexible and consider a myriad of options if the primary aircraft can't fly. Those Airmen make sure when that thirsty fighter is in the sky over Iraq or Afghanistan, or that C-17 Globemaster III or C-130 Hercules needs to provide food or relief to a country in need, they are able to accomplish their missions. They make sure those airlifters, rushing home with a wounded Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine, can get them to the loving arms of their families and a U.S. hospital for the critical care they need.

"The reason those tankers are airborne is because when they are deployed, our Airmen work six days a week, 12 to 14 hours a day to make sure they can launch them every day," he said.

Another issue facing tanker maintenance crews is the availability of parts for such an old aircraft.

"Just like an old car, you start it up and hope it'll make it. When it breaks down, you hope you can find the spare parts you need to fix it," General Lichte said. "That's the problem our maintainers face. Sometimes we have to go and manufacture new parts because there are no more left on the shelves.

"We've come a long way since the 1950s and '60s when these aircraft were sleek and new. Improved technologies and capabilities are available and we need to fold them into our tanker fleet," the general added.

Some key attributes of the new tanker will include the ability to refuel with both boom and drogue systems, and the ability to receive fuel as well as deliver it. Currently, for most KC-135s to conduct drogue refueling operations, a boom drogue adapter must be attached to the boom before takeoff. This prevents the tanker from refueling receptacle-equipped aircraft in the same sortie.

The new tanker is also expected to carry cargo and passengers, and have open communication architecture so it can receive data from the ground quickly.

"We've also asked for the new tanker to have defensive systems so we can fly closer into harm's way, and we've asked for systems that can defend against today's threats as well as emerging threats of the future," General Lichte said. "The bottom line is, the warfighter needs a new tanker," he said. "Any delays or hesitation are simply pushing the age of the tanker farther and farther out and increasing the risk to our national security.

"My hope is that as we go through this process of fielding a new tanker, following the letter of the law, we get through it quickly. And, when we come out on the other side, we get a new, very capable tanker to our Airmen as soon as possible," General Lichte said.

Air Force officials respond to Boeing protest

WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- Air Force officials received a copy of Boeing's formal protest March 11on the KC-45A contract award, recently submitted to the Government Accountability Office.

It is the company's right to formally submit a protest. Air Force members will carefully evaluate the protest, defend their source selection decision and allow the GAO to make its final decision, officials said.

In order to protect the integrity of the procurement process, Air Force officials do not publicly comment on the merits or specifics on any issues under review.

Proposals from both offerors were evaluated thoroughly in accordance with the criteria set forth in the Request for Proposals. The proposal from the winning offeror is the one Air Force officials believe will provide the best value to the American taxpayer and to the warfighter.

Air Force members follow a carefully structured process, designed to provide transparency, maintain integrity and promote fair competition. Air Force members and the offerors had hundreds of formal exchanges regarding the proposals throughout the evaluation process.

Air Force officials provided all offerors with continuous feedback through discussions on the strengths and weaknesses of their proposals. Several independent reviews assessed the process as sound and thorough.

Tanker contract award announced

WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Duncan J. McNabb announced the selection of Northrop Grumman as the winner of the KC-X competition for development and procurement of up to 179 tanker aircraft for approximately $35 billion.

The initial contract for the newly named KC-45 is for the system design and development of four test aircraft for $1.5 billion. This contract also includes five production options targeted for 64 aircraft at $10.6 billion.

"The tanker is the number one procurement priority for us right now," General McNabb said. "Buying the new KC-45A is a major step forward and another demonstration of our commitment to recapitalizing our Eisenhower-era inventory of these critical national assets. Today is not just important for the Air Force, however. It's important for the entire joint military team, and important for our coalition partners as well. The KC-45A will revolutionize our ability to employ tankers and will ensure the Air Force's future ability to provide our nation with truly Global Vigilance, Reach, and Power.

"It is the first step in our critical commitment to recapitalize our aging fleet to move, supply and position assets anywhere. In this global Air Force business, the critical element for air bridge, global Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and global strike is the tanker," he said.

The KC-45A will provide significantly greater air refueling capabilities than the current fleet of Eisenhower-era KC-135 Stratotankers it will begin replacing. For example, it will be able to refuel Air Force and Navy aircraft on every flight. These aircraft have different systems for receiving fuel and today, KC-135s must be set up for one or the other before takeoff.

The KC-45A will be equipped for both systems on every flight and also will have connections for wing pods. When wing pods are installed, it can refuel two probe-equipped aircraft, such as those flown by Navy and many allied aircrews, at the same time. The KC-45A can even be refueled in flight by other tankers.

The KC-45A also will have defensive systems that allow it to go into dangerous environments that tanker aircrews currently have to avoid. It will also supplement the airlift fleet by carrying cargo, passengers and medical patients in a secondary role.

The KC-X source selection used a "best value" determination to select a winner based on five factors: mission capability, proposal risk, past performance, cost/price and an integrated fleet air refueling assessment -- performance in a simulated war scenario. These five factors were developed after consulting with industry and were finalized prior to starting the competition. Considered together, these grading criteria ensured the Air Force maximized the capability delivered to the warfighter while optimizing the taxpayers' investment.

Air Force officials followed a carefully structured process, designed to provide transparency, maintain integrity and promote fair competition. Air Force officials met with offerors on numerous occasions to gain a thorough understanding of their proposals and provide feedback on their strengths and weaknesses. Officials also provided insight into government cost estimates throughout the process instead of waiting until the post-decision debrief. The competitors indicated they've been very pleased with the degree of communication.

The evaluation team comprised experts covering a broad spectrum of specialties from acquisition to operations and was hand-picked from across the Air Force and other government agencies.

As part of the process, Air Force officials will now provide a written notice to both the selected and not-selected and offer to provide a debrief on their bid proposals. To maintain the integrity of that process, officials will be unable to provide additional information about the proposals and contract.

"Today's announcement is the culmination of years of tireless work and attention to detail by our acquisition professionals and source selection team, who have been committed to maintaining integrity, providing transparency and promoting a fair competition for this critical aircraft program," Secretary Wynne said. "Through these efforts, we believe we will provide a higher-value resource to the warfighter and the taxpayer."

USAF Releases KC-X Draft Request For Proposals

WASHINGTON - Air Force officials announced December 15, 2006, the release of an updated draft Request for Proposals for the KC-X, the aerial tanker replacement aircraft.

"This continues our open and transparent acquisition process," said Mrs. Sue Payton, the Air Force senior acquisition executive. "We're releasing this document so our partners in Congress, the Department of Defense and industry can continue the dialogue we've established."

Payton said the release of the final RFP is expected in January and that her goal remained to complete the source selection process by the end of the current fiscal year.

The KC-X, the Air Force's number one acquisition priority, is the replacement vehicle for the KC-135 which recently celebrated its 50th year of service with the Air Force.

Officials said the KC-X will have a primary mission of aerial refueling, allowing the Air Force to retain the Global Reach that supports the Global War on Terror.

"The tanker is the number one procurement priority for us right now. In this global Air Force business, the single point failure of an air bridge, the single point failure for global intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance or the single point failure for global strike is the tanker," said Gen. T. Michael Moseley, Air Force Chief of Staff. Additionally, service officials expect the KC-X to have the capability to carry cargo as well as airlifting personnel.

"All three missions of the aircraft are vitally important," said Lt. Gen. Donald Hoffman, the Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, "but first and foremost the KC-X is the next generation in aerial refueling."

The draft RFP incorporates changes that respond to concerns expressed by Congress, DOD and potential offerors, to include addressing the litigation concerning large civil aircraft pending before the World Trade Organization.

"The Air Force has revisited its position on the WTO issue concerning the tanker replacement program based upon discussions with the offerors," said Mr. Kenneth Miller, Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. "In the updated draft RFP we've added a clause that makes certain costs associated with the WTO litigation unallowable expenses under the contract."