KC-X, Next Generation Aerial Refueling Aircraft

Abstract

To recapitalize the aging KC-135 fleet of aerial refueling aircraft, the Air Force considered data from an Analysis of Alternatives (AoA), along with industry input that was provided in response to both a Request for Information and two draft Requests for Proposal. Based on this information, the Air Force concluded that a strategy of full and open competition to select a commercial derivative replacement tanker aircraft would result in a best value tanker contract. The resulting KC-X source selection culminated in a 29 Feb 08 contract award to Northrop Grumman to develop and produce a tanker based on the A330-200. On 13 Mar 08, the Air Force issued a stop-work order to that contract in response to a protest filed by Boeing. On 18 Jun 08, the GAO sustained portions of that protest. On 10 Sep 08, SECDEF announced termination of the KC-X competition. On 6 Apr 09, SECDEF decided to proceed with a new competition. The FY11 PB restructures the KC-X budget to account for the fact-of-life delays for the recompetition and planned summer 2010 contract award. The Air Force needs to replace its aging KC-135 tankers, which have an average age of 49 years. Replacement of the legacy fleet will take place in three stages, known as the KC-X, the KC-Y, and the KC-Z. The initial KC-X increment will replace roughly a third of the current capability with the purchase of 179 aircraft. The KC-X will be able to provide fuel to joint and coalition receivers via a boom or drogue system on every mission and will also augment the airlift fleet with cargo, passenger and medical evacuation capabilities. The KC-X will be able to operate in day/night and adverse weather conditions to enable deployment, employment, sustainment and redeployment of U.S. joint, allied and coalition forces. The KC-X will have communication, navigation and surveillance equipment for world-wide operations; will have the capability to perform missions in chemical and biological environments; will have the capability to operate in low-to-medium threat areas and near-high threat areas with self-defense/protection (both active and passive) capabilities; and will have necessary battle space awareness to mitigate survivability threats. The KC-X development effort will also procure the necessary ground and flight test assets to support developmental/operational test. The program plans to procure four RDT&E aircraft for integration and demonstration of capability that will ultimately be operationally fielded after a successful operational test phase. In addition, both aircrew and maintenance Training System Requirements Analyses (TSRA) will be conducted to determine training requirements. Aircrew and Maintenance training systems will be developed and procured via a future trainer-specific source selection, using KC-X funding. A Business Case Analysis will also be conducted to determine if the engines for the production aircraft will be Government Furnished or Contractor Furnished. Initial training and sustainment efforts will be provided via Interim Contractor Support (ICS). KC-X funding will also support various studies and analyses including the five-nation Future Technology and Aerial Refueling (FTAR) project, and KC-Y/KC-Z planning activities.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2011
• Source ID: 0605221F_5_3600_PB_2011
• Change Summary Explanation: The Air Force is preparing for the new source selection competition as a result of the SECDEF's termination of the KC-X competition on 10 Sep 08. The program schedule and the budget request presented in these documents represent a notional KC-X program. Any required restructuring of the funding will occur after contract award to align the dollars with the Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) approved baseline. The FY05 Appropriations Bill established a $100M Tanker Replacement Transfer Fund (TRTF). $10.2M was used by the Air Force in FY05. The FY08 Appropriations Bill reduced $50M in RDT&E, and moved an additional $150M of FY08 RDT&E into the TRTF -- $239.8M remained in the TRTF as of 4Q FY08. The FY09 Appropriations Bill rescinded the entire balance of the TRTF. The FY10 Appropriations Bill reduced $132.9M in RDT&E, moved $291.715M of FY10 RDT&E into the TRTF, and left $15.0M in RDT&E to support program office & source selection activities, and to initiate contract award. The FY11 PB restructures the KC-X budget to account for the fact-of-life delays for the recompetition and planned summer 2010 contract award. In FY2009, PE 0605221F, KC-X Next Generation Aerial Refueling Aircraft, 5271, KC-X RDT&E, efforts were transferred from PE 0401221F, KC-X Replacement Tanker, 4927, KC-X Replacement Tanker, in order to move funds to Budget Activity (BA) 05 to correctly represent the phase of the KC-X Program.
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Acquisition
• Air Force
• Aircrafts
• Competition
• Contractors
• Contracts
• Cost Analysis
• Costs
• Deployment
• Maintenance
• Medical Evacuation
• Military Acquisition
• Refueling
• Refueling In Flight
• Tanker Aircraft
• Test And Evaluation
• Training

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering
• Aerospace logistics and air mobility.
• Government Contracting/Procurement.

Technology Areas

• Space