Boeing [BA] recently delivered the first of four KC-767 aerial refueling tankers to Japan.
“The KC-767 will have an immediate impact and significantly increase Japan’s capabilities,” said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems in a statement. “This delivery also confirms Boeing’s standing as the world’s leading provider of aerial refueling tankers and continues our company’s proud 75-year history of producing tankers.”
The tanker will fly 12 hours from Wichita, Kan., to Gifu, Japan, where the Japanese minister of defense will deliver the tanker. Delivery of the second tanker will come immediately after the first tanker is accepted, the statement said.
The delivery comes one week before the Air Force is expected to meet with the Pentagon chief weapons buyer about its decision for the service’s top acquisition priority–the KC-X competition.
Boeing is up against Northrop Grumman [NOC] and the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. in the competition for the contract expected to be worth up to $40 billion. During a war of letters concerning the issue of risk in the program, Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), who supports the Northrop Grumman KC-30, tweaked Boeing for its late delivery of tankers to Japan and Italy (Defense Daily, Oct. 8, 2007).
Boeing said it plans to deliver the first two of four tankers to Italy this year.