Northrop Grumman KC-45: Why We Won – Superior Air Refueling for our men and women in uniform.
Written by thomas · Filed Under Aeronautics NewsJune 13, 2008
Highlighting reasons the U.S. Air Force selected the KC-45 Tanker as best
for our men and women in uniform.
WASHINGTON, June 12 /PRNewswire/ — The U.S. Air Force found Northrop
Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) bid to build the next generation of
aerial refueling tankers superior to Boeing’s in four of the five most
important selection criteria. Despite this fact, the losing bidder wants
the Government Accountability Office to overturn the Air Force decision to
award the contract to Northrop Grumman even though the Air Force conducted
what even Boeing described as a fair, open and transparent bidding process.
Here is another reason Northrop Grumman won, drawn from a list of facts
included in a redacted version of a protected Air Force selection document.
Fuel Offload
When it published its Request For Proposal (RFP) for America’s next
generation of aerial refueling tankers, the Air Force clearly stated it was
placing a priority on superior refueling capacity, the number-one mission
for a tanker, even as it sought an aircraft more versatile than the one it
was replacing. In the document in which it explained to both companies why
Northrop Grumman’s bid was superior, the Air Force concluded that Northrop
Grumman was better able to transfer fuel to other aircraft — and receive
fuel from other tankers — than Boeing, earning Northrop Grumman a clear
win in this vital evaluation category.
Northrop Grumman “provides better fuel offload at all distances from
bases,” the document noted. “Benefit: A single [Northrop Grumman tanker]
can refuel more receivers and/or provide more fuel per receiver than”
Boeing’s aircraft.
The reason for this is that Boeing’s proposed aircraft would be smaller
and would be able to carry less fuel than Northrop Grumman’s. Boeing’s
smaller, less-flexible proposed aircraft left it behind Northrop Grumman in
a variety of categories.
“Northrop Grumman offered a superior fuel offload and receive rate …
compared to Boeing’s,” the document notes.
The Air Force also made clear that it found Northrop Grumman’s fuel
offload capability to be more efficient than Boeing’s.
“The [Northrop Grumman aircraft] also provides more pounds of fuel
offload per pound of fuel used compared to the [proposed Boeing aircraft]
at all ranges.”
In its written summary, the Air Force said Northrop Grumman’s “Aerial
refueling capability was compelling” to its decision. “Northrop Grumman’s
offer was a superior solution to the air refueling requirement, which is a
key performance parameter.”
About the KC-45
The KC-45 Tanker aircraft will be assembled in Mobile, Ala., and the
KC-45 team will employ 48,000 American workers at 230 U.S. companies in 49
states. It will be built by a world-class industrial team led by Northrop
Grumman, and includes EADS North America, General Electric Aviation and
Sargent Fletcher.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company
whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions
in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to
government and commercial customers worldwide.
SOURCE Northrop Grumman Corporation
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