Air Force stuns Boeing by awarding tanker contract to Northrop Grumman (Airbus)

After a long, highly controversial, highly political selection process, the US Air Force has chosen the Northrop Grumman/Airbus proposal in the KC-X program for replacement of their aging fleet of KC-135s. The new KC-45A will be a highly modified Airbus A330 that is expected to be built on home turf in Mobile, Alabama. That's their way of making it a "US product". I don't know who they are trying to fool.

The $40 billion project comes as a shock to many as Boeing has been the prime supplier of tanker aircraft for the Air Force for over 50 years. The 179 KC-45A's N.G./Airbus are expected to manufacture will cover the first of three phases required to eventually replace the entire Air Force tanker fleet.

I'm a little shocked by this whole thing. Now I know the Air Force and Boeing were awfully shady the first go around with this, but I always pictured the 767 as a closer match to the 707 as far as capabilities go. The A330 is huge. I would hope the KC-Z program procures some smaller, tactical refuelers.