The KC-46 tanker job should have been a straight forward contract. Take a well proven airliner which has been in production and flying for decades, take out the seats and install fuel tanks, plus an air-to-air refueling boom in the tail. No high risk new technology. Piece of cake, right?
Well, first the Air Force decided that it knew more about how to wire an aircraft than Boeing did. Air Force insisted that Boeing re do all the aircraft wiring "to bring it up to Air Force standards". Good cost enhancer that was.
And then, the Air Force wanted a fancy remote vision system, rather than a plain old reliable glass window, to let the refueling boom operator see his boom and steer it into the receptacle of the receiving aircraft. Now Air Force is complaining that the remote vision system lacks contrast and looses detail when the receiving aircraft is backlighted by the sun. (Beware the Hun in the Sun). For the last two years USAF has refused to accept new KC-46 tankers 'cause of the remote vision system and 40 brand new KC-46 tankers have piled up at Boeing's Everett field. Now, the Air Force has agreed to accept the aircraft, but they will withhold $28 mil per aircraft until the remote vision system is fixed.
How to screw up a simple procurement. Way to go USAF.
Note: I am a USAF veteran.
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