11:03 GMT, January 6, 2009 In a recent statement U.S. Air Mobility Command commander General Arthur J. Lichte pointed out the urgent need for next-generation tanker. “Air refueling operations continue to be amazing aerial feats, especially for people who witness the process for the first time”, he said.
“Today's tanker fleet continues to play the vital role of sustaining operations. Tankers underwrite our nation's ability to project power. Aircraft extend our reach to deliver the clenched fist of U.S. power to our adversaries, or the open hand of assistance to people in need,” he continued.
“Without tankers, our combat aircraft cannot reach their targets. Without tankers, our resupply aircraft and humanitarian relief materials cannot always reach their destinations. Without tankers, we cannot move our wounded warriors non-stop from the battlefield to the U.S. for the medical care they need.
As a nation, we're overdue on building new tankers. We must make delivery of this capability a high priority for our nation. We simply must get on with it. We're working hard to ensure Air Mobility Command is ready when the next effort begins to choose the industry partner to build our next-generation tanker.
I can understand how the group of Airmen felt at the beginning of the New Year 80 years ago. Their thoughts were likely focused on how to not only successfully demonstrate the air-refueling capability, but also make people aware of its potential significant military contributions.
Today, the question isn't how critical is the tanker to our warfighters and our national security. We know the need for a tanker is critical; it's a capability our nation simply cannot do without,” he concluded.
On September 2008 the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has terminated the current $35 billion tanker competition.
The Obama administration will have to choose between two strong competitors and their best developed products. However, time is a crucial matter in all this discussion. The U.S. Air Force tanker programme is far behind schedule and will already leave a huge lack of air-refuelling capability for the U.S. Air Force in the near future since the average age for the KC-135 tanker is 48 years and the average age of all tankers in the fleet is over 44 years — nearly four times the age of the U.S. commercial fleet.
Christian Windeck
