Decide on tanker soon, general says

WASHINGTON — A high-ranking Air Force official on Wednesday pressed the Pentagon to speed the award of a disputed $40 billion contract for new aerial-refueling tankers so the service can retire Eisenhower-era aircraft.

Gen. Arthur Lichte, who runs Air Mobility Command, told reporters that either aircraft offered by Boeing or Northrop Grumman is capable of the mission, but he urged a quick decision to avoid further strain on the service's already-aging aircraft.

"I don't care which tanker wins," said Lichte. "I just need a new tanker."

The four-star general said if the program is delayed by another year or more, the Air Force will be forced to fly some of its current fleet past 2040, which would make those planes at least 80 years old.

The aircraft refuel combat and support planes in flight and have helped widen the range of the military's reach. The planes have been used in operations in the Persian Gulf, the Balkans and Afghanistan.

Boeing in February lost the deal to replace 179 aerial-refueling tankers to Northrop and its partner, Airbus parent European Aeronautic Defence & Space. Boeing filed a protest in March.

The competition was reopened after government auditors found "significant errors" in the Air Force's decision. The revamped contest — overseen by Pentagon acquisition chief John Young — is focused on eight areas where the Government Accountability Office found problems.

The Defense Department hasn't yet completed its review of the final request for proposals for the contract, spokesman Bryan Whitman told Bloomberg News on Wednesday.

The Pentagon was expected to release its final request for bids last week, already late for a self-imposed deadline of Aug. 15 that continues to slip.

Under the Pentagon's plan, both Boeing and Northrop were expected to respond to the bids request by Oct. 1, with a final contract award by the end of the year. But both of those deadlines are likely to be missed.

Boeing has threatened to exit the competition if it does not receive an additional four months to assemble its offer. The company also has said it would consider protesting the final request for bids.

Northrop has repeatedly indicated a delay in the program would benefit only Boeing while raising costs for taxpayers and prolonging delivery of a new tanker for military.

"How are we going to solve this?" asked Lichte. "I just don't understand at some point how you stop and say, 'OK, this company wins, this company loses.' "

Lichte said he wouldn't be surprised if either bidder protested the final request for bids.

If a protest is launched, that could further jeopardize the Pentagon's target of awarding a deal by the end of the year.

"This is all part of the process ... but what I want to do is bring it to closure and get on with getting a new tanker," he said.

Lichte also said Wednesday he saw no need for a new version of the hulking C-17 cargo aircraft being proposed by Boeing as a way to extend the life of Southern California's last major airplane factory, the Los Angeles Times reported

But Lichte said additional demands being placed on the Air Force, including the creation of a new African command and an increase in the size of the Army, could lead him to seek more orders of the current C-17. That could prevent Boeing's Long Beach, Calif., assembly line from closing in two years.