The Air Force's Tanker Tailspin

[Mesteryo]

This year, the Air Force is spending close to $65 billion — more than either the Army or Navy — developing new weapons. So at a time when politicians never tire of declaring their unbridled support for the men and women in uniform, you would think Washington could figure out a way to replace the Air Force's aging, half-century-old fleet of aerial refueling tankers.

You would, however, be wrong.

That was essentially the verdict delivered by Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Wednesday, when he officially gave up on the Bush Administration's tortured quest to purchase flying gas stations to replace the current fleet of KC-135 tankers, which average 47 years old.

Gates says he had little choice. "It is my judgment that in the time remaining to us, we cannot complete a competition that would be viewed as fair and competitive in this highly charged environment," Gates told the House Armed Services Committee Wednesday. "I believe that the resulting cooling-off period will allow the next Administration to review objectively the military requirements and craft a new acquisition strategy" for future tankers.

Boeing praised the decision ("it will best serve the war fighter") while Northrop grumbled, saying it was "extremely disappointed — especially on behalf of our men and women in uniform who will now be denied a critically needed new tanker for years." Meanwhile, the Air Force resigned itself to flying ancient airplanes even longer.


http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1840396,00.html