Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC
WORK ON THE $7 billion US Air Force/Navy Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) is now under way after the US General Accounting Office (GAO) rejected the final protest over selection of Raytheon's Beech MkII in June 1995.
The GAO (the investigative arm of the US Congress) did not explain why Cessna's objection was found to be without merit. A summary of the findings, cleansed of sensitive information, is not expected to be released to the public for several weeks.
The USAF says that the GAO validated the selection process and the US Government's decision to select the Beech MkII turboprop as the aircraft component of JPATS. An earlier protest by Rockwell had been denied. "We knew we had a great aircraft, frankly, the best aircraft," says Raytheon chief executive Art Wegner.
With the GAO protests resolved, the USAF immediately awarded Raytheon the first tranche of a $4 billion contract for JPATS production. The Pilatus PC-9 Beech MkII will replace ageing USAF Cessna T-37B and US Navy Beech T-34C trainers.
Cessna wanted the USAF to re-open the last phase of the JPATS competition and to request new best-and-final offers from the competing companies. The firm alleged that the USAF had changed the competition rules to favour the Beech MkII. Cessna also claimed that its JPATS CitationJet offered the best accommodation for all pilots, while its rival was unsuited to smaller female pilots.
"Obviously, we disagree and are disappointed with the GAO's decision," Cessna comments in a written statement, adding that it would consider its options.
Company officials are quoted as saying, however, that they might challenge the contract in federal court. Observers were sceptical of the ability of Cessna and Rockwell to win over the GAO, which rarely second-guesses military-procurement decisions.
The JPATS programme includes 372 aircraft for the USAF and 339 for the USN. Production is expected to begin later this year and extend through to 2017.
Source: Flight International
