US TRANSCOM / USAF Tanker Article - January 31, 20
Post# of 2306
The article from "The Drive" linked below - with the latest thoughts from Commander US TRANSCOM as at January 31, 2020 - reinforces everything I have been saying for months plus throws up another interesting possibility.
Due to the problems with the KC-46A preventing it from entering full-service on operations for at least another 5 years - and the USAF being unhappy with Boeing's current proposed fix for the Remote Vision System (RVS) - the idea of using contractors is to the fore.
A new possibility is that the USAF may divest the tankers it is retiring on cost priority grounds direct to contractors who bid to operate them.
$TMPS would be capable of doing that as they are already an accredited defense contractor for a number of "special mission" aircraft
[see my post on extant DoD contracts].
https://investorshangout.com/post/view?id=5648833
The following extracts from the article are the most significant:
"The difficulties with the existing RVS presently preclude the KC-46As from taking part in combat operations overseas and top US military officials are warning that there may soon be a worrying shortfall in available tankers, as other types get retired. That reality is now is driving renewed consideration of a plan to hire private contractors to provide aerial refueling services in various non-combat settings."
"The Air Force is still planning to begin retire its oldest KC-135R Stratotankers"
"At that same time, the service is looking at cutting other legacy aircraft, such as the relatively small KC-10 tanker fleet, to help free up funding for various other priorities."
[see my post on the FY21 USAF Tanker Retirement Plans]
https://investorshangout.com/post/view?id=5671176
"We’ve got to figure out a way to mitigate the delayed fielding of the KC-46"
"General Lyons said at the Atlantic Council that his command was looking at the possibility of leasing tankers from private contractors for non-combat missions, such as supporting training and test and evaluation sorties."
"the US Navy and US Marine Corps have already been utilizing contractor air refueling support, from a company called Omega Air, for almost 20 years, for exactly this reason. For months now, Transportation Command itself has also been in the process of outlining exactly what it might want from aerial refueling contractors on a much broader scale"
"It might even be possible for the Air Force to divest some or all of its KC-10 fleet straight into the hands of private companies, who could then operate them on a contract basis.
"Other boom-equipped tanker fleets, including KC-135Rs that other air forces around the world are retiring now, could also be options to build these private fleets."
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/31945/a...ion-system
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