08:15 GMT, June 11, 2009 WASHINGTON | The Pentagon may reopen the competition between Boeing Co. and the team of Northrop Grumman Corp. and European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. (EADS) to replace the US military's aging fleet of air refuelling aircraft as early as next month, AFP quoted Defense Secretary Robert Gates as saying.

AFP reported that Gates expects a final decision in a week to 10 days on "the acquisition authority and the structure we're going to put into place to ensure that it is a fair, open and transparent process."

A request for proposal could be put out by this Gates said. "Our hope is to probably try and get the RFP (request for proposal) out mid-summer."

The Pentagon awarded the $35 billion contract for 179 aircraft to the EADS/ Northrop Grumman team in February 2008, but Boeing successfully challenged the decision with the Government Accountability Office, which recommended the bidding be reopened.

Gates had initially said he expected competition for the politically sensitive contract to be reopened in the spring of 2009, and then in the summer.