By Marina Malenic
The European Aeronautic Defense & Space Co. (EADS) has until the end of this week to launch a protest in the Pentagon’s decision to award an aerial refueling tanker contract to rival Boeing [BA], according to the Air Force’s acquisition executive.
EADS must file its protest within 10 days of the award announcement, which occurred Feb. 24, David Van Buren, the principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, said yesterday.
Van Buren was speaking at a conference in Arlington, Va., sponsored by Credit Suisse.
Both EADS and Boeing received a debriefing from the Defense Department on the coveted $30 billion-plus aircraft contract Feb. 28. EADS has not ruled out a protest.
Boeing last week attributed its victory in the long-running competition to its ability to deliver a low-risk solution at an affordable price. Dennis Muilenburg, chief of Boeing’s Defense, Space and Security unit, told reporters that life-cycle costs and the efficiency of Boeing’s smaller, 767-based aircraft tipped the scales in the company’s favor (Defense Daily, Feb. 28).
EADS had pitched a larger, A330-based solution to the Air Force.
Van Buren said yesterday that “the government found both companies…acceptable.” He said that the “price differential, including life cycle costs…was greater than one percent,” which led to the “clear choice” of Boeing.
The new aircraft has been designated the KC-46A. The firm fixed-price contract signed last week and valued at over $3.5 billion is for delivery of 18 aircraft by 2017. The overall program for 179 tankers is valued at upward of $30 billion, officials have said.
In the Air Force’s prior attempt to replace its Eisenhower-era tankers, Boeing successfully protested a previous win by Airbus parent company EADS and then-partner Northrop Grumman [NOC].
Air Force officials said earlier this month that they have prepared for a protest from the losing bidder (Defense Daily, Feb. 22).