US Department of Defense studies into using commercial aircraft as the basis of replacements for a wide range of tanker/transport, maritime patrol and special mission aircraft have raised the issue of how potential bidders will gain access to suitable platforms. Boeing is the only potential bidder for the US Air Force's proposed Multi-Role Command and Control Aircraft (MRC2A) and US Navy's planned Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft programmes that can offer a systems solution using its own platforms.
Other potential bidders want the DoD to separate the platform and system selections and order Boeing to make its aircraft available to all bidders. Lockheed Martin believes the DoD will find a way to allow Airbus to bid.
The MRC2A is a USAF concept to replace the airborne warning and control E-3, battlefield surveillance E-8 and electronic-intelligence RC-135, along with others, with systems based on commercial aircraft.
Boeing is already planning to offer a version of its 767 for the USAF's KC-X tanker requirement. Lockheed Martin would like to participate but does not yet have access to a suitable commercial platform.
Source: Flight International
