Spokesman Says Gates Will Announce KC-X Strategy
'Very Soon'
With Defense Secretary Robert Gates expected to announce his
strategy on dealing with a controversial US Air Force aerial tanker
decision "very soon," one lawmaker warns of dire consequences if
Pentagon officials stick to their guns and keep the contract in the
hands of a partnership between Northrop Grumman and EADS.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told Bloomberg last week Gates
has been "doing some consulting" with experts "and giving his own
analysis" of the Pentagon's options, though he would not say when
Gates will chime in officially on the matter. That statement could
come ahead of a Thursday meeting by a House Armed Services
Committee panel investigating the February 29 decision to award the
tanker program contract to Northrop/EADS.
"I think that very soon -- not wanting to put any time frames on
it -- but very soon we'll be talking about what we think is the
best way to proceed," Whitman said last week.
As ANN reported, the Government Accountability
Office last month issued a non-binding report, stating the Air
Force made "significant errors" in handing the lucrative deal to
replace the service's fleet of Eisenhower-era KC-135 tankers to
Northrop/EADS, over a bid from American planemaker Boeing.
In addition to revelations the USAF used faulty math in
determining the Airbus-sourced KC-45A would be more economical to
operate over Boeing's smaller KC-767, the GAO also determined the
Air Force may have held Northrop's hand in dealing with some
shortcomings of its bid. In one case, USAF officials told Boeing it
had met a set of objectives... but later said it had not, after
discussions had already closed.
Conversely, the Air Force told Northrop about areas its bid had
fallen short on, then gave the company time to alter its
proposal.
US Congressman Norm Dicks represents Washington state --
Boeing's home territory -- and is a senior member of the House
defense appropriations committee that approves military funding. He
warns of dire consequences should Air Force officials ignore the
GAO's recommendations, and stay with their choice for a new
tanker.
"I have urged them to come up and talk to the hill because if
they make a unilateral decision that's wrong, all hell is going to
break loose," Dicks said. "There needs to be some consultation.
There has been none. [Pentagon Undersecretary for Acquisition] John
Young can come up and listen to the members. I have urged
this."
Dicks added it's likely the Pentagon will once again open the
KC-X bid for competition... "but the form of competition is very
important. They need to come up and listen to the members about
their concerns and then say what the process going forward is going
to be."