KC-X
| KC-X program | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| A United States Air Force KC-135 tanker takes off in Gloucestershire, England. The winner of the KC-X program, the KC-46 Pegasus, is to replace older KC-135s. | |
| Project for | Aerial refueling tanker aircraft |
| Issued by | United States Air Force |
| Proposals |
Airbus A330 MRTT Boeing KC-767 Antonov An-112KC |
| Prototypes |
Boeing KC-767 Airbus A330 MRTT |
| Date concluded | 2011 |
| Outcome | Round 1: EADS/Northrop Grumman KC-45 selected for production, but result protested Round 2: Boeing KC-46 Pegasus selected for production, no protest |
| Predecessor programs | Commercial Derivative Air Refueling Aircraft |
KC-X is the United States Air Force (USAF) program to procure its next-generation aerial refueling tanker aircraft to replace some of the older Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers. The contest was for a production contract for 179 new tankers with estimated value of US$35 billion. The two contenders to replace the KC-135 aircraft were Boeing and EADS, following the elimination of US Aerospace, Inc.
The current KC-X program follows earlier attempts by the USAF to procure a new tanker. A 2002 plan had the USAF leasing Boeing KC-767 tankers, followed by a 2003 modification where the USAF would buy most of the KC-767 aircraft and lease several more of them. Corruption investigations revealed wrongdoing in the award of the contract and the contract was canceled in 2005, setting the stage for the KC-X program.
The USAF issued the KC-X request for proposal in January 2007, then selected the Northrop Grumman/EADS team and their Airbus A330-based tankers in February 2008. In June 2008, the U.S. Government Accountability Office sustained a protest by Boeing on the award of the contract. In July 2008, the U.S. Defense Department reopened the bidding process, but canceled the KC-X solicitation in September 2008. In September 2009, the USAF began the first steps toward accepting new bids. In March 2010, Northrop Grumman announced that it would pull out of the bidding process. Despite Northrop Grumman's withdrawal, EADS decided to remain in the ongoing competition alone. The Air Force selected Boeing's KC-46 bid on 24 February 2011 and EADS declined to protest the award.
The initial plan was to lease Boeing KC-767 tankers on a sole-source basis; Boeing is the only American company with the requisite industrial capability to manufacture large-body aircraft. As such, the KC-767 was selected in 2002 and in 2003 was awarded a US$20 billion contract to lease KC-767 tankers to replace the KC-135.
Led by Senator John McCain, several US government leaders protested the lease contract as wasteful and problematic. In response to the protests, the Air Force struck a compromise in November 2003, whereby it would purchase 80 KC-767 aircraft and lease 20 more.
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