By Marina Malenic
The Air Force will require high-level authorization for any changes to an aerial refueling tanker fleet replacement contract awarded to Boeing [BA] earlier this year to ensure that delivery of the aircraft stays on cost, according to a senior service official.
“We’re going to set a very, very high threshold for any changes,” Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said yesterday.
Donley was speaking to reporters at a Defense Writers Group breakfast in Washington.
He said he plans to send a memo to tanker program managers on the matter as soon as the question of what level of authorization would be required for contract changes is resolved.
In discussions two weeks ago with Boeing officials in Everett, Wash., according to Donley, Air Force officials emphasized the need to stay on cost and on schedule.
“I think they have the same interest,” he said. “They are not interested in absorbing additional costs, either, unless they can get the Air Force to pay for it.”
The Air Force in February awarded Boeing a $30 billion contract for 179 tankers (Defense Daily, Feb. 25).
Donley declined to identify areas of high risk in the tanker development effort. He noted that the company has years of experience building 767 commercial airplanes, on which its tanker is based.
However, “they do still have some engineering to do to turn it into a tanker,” he added.
Meanwhile, service officials are still studying an acquisition strategy for an aircraft to replace aging UH-1N Huey utility helicopters and HH-60 Pave Hawk combat search and rescue helicopters.
“We’re trying to craft requirements and an acquisition strategy that will get the best value for the taxpayer,” Donley said.
“We’re trying to find that sweet spot between off-the-shelf existing vertical lift capabilities that are out there and warfighter requirements, and the issue is getting the best deal that we can and combining these,” he added.
Air Force officials last month said that they plan to conduct a competitive acquisition for the Common Vertical Lift Support Platform (CVLSP) program–helicopters used to secure the nation’s ICBM fields–regardless of requirements.
Donley also noted during the breakfast meeting that the Air Force has spent some $75 million on air operations over Libya. He said the service is spending about $4 million per day, but that that rate is likely to decline as the United States shrinks to a support role in the NATO-led mission.
The Air Force has about 39 support aircraft–tankers, cargo planes and surveillance aircraft–and about 50 strike aircraft involved in the operation, according to Donley. He added that some of the strike aircraft may remain “in reserve” in case NATO needs additional support.