GAO deems DOD's airlift study plan lacking, cites incomplete KC-X analysis
The Government Accountability Office released a statement April 28 regarding the Department of Defense's lack of sufficient detail contained in the recent Size and Mix of Airlift Study Plan.
The report specifically noted DOD's lack of information regarding the highly publicized U.S. Air Force Tanker program.
The GAO report states that officials were "unable to fully assess the draft Size and Mix of Airlift Force Study Plan as required ... because the plan does not contain sufficient detail ... to evaluate its objectivity and its scope methodology."
The report also states that the Size and Mix of Airlift Force Study Plan was required to include assumptions regarding the military's current and future aerial fleet, but the report failed to include assumptions about the KC-X program.
The GAO document said that "one required assumption involved the new capability in airlift to be provided by the KC(X) tanker aircraft. The draft study plan included a 5-bullet slide concerning the assessment of the KC(X) as an airlifter, but did not include the required assumptions."
The latest in a string of GAO reports is sure to add fuel to the already heated battle between Boeing and Northrop Grumman regarding the tanker contract.
A previous document released by the GAO in January faulted a separate DOD analysis of the tanker program as well. The January release said that the KC-135 recapitalization analysis of alternatives did not provide enough information to inform the program's decision makers about the cost, effectiveness, and sustainability of possible alternatives.
Another GAO report released in March 2007 said the Air Force did not complete the analysis needed to include cargo and passenger capabilities in the new tanker requirements. According to the document, the Air Force proposal for a replacement tanker included the passenger and cargo capabilities without analyses indentifying a "gap, shortfall, or redundant capability" in the KC-135.
The tanker contract, expected to top $100 billion throughout the life of the new refueling aircraft, was awarded to Northrop Grumman in February.
Boeing has since raged a high profile PR war against Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force. Boeing also filed a protest with the GAO citing that the Air Force "repeatedly made fundamental but often unstated changes...in order to enable the NG/EADS proposal to survive."
Boeing often refers to Northrop Grumman's KC-30 tanker as an "oversized" aircraft with "unnecessary capabilities."
The GAO is reviewing Boeing's protest and a decision is expected by mid-June. A stop-work order was issued to Northrop Grumman by the Air Force until the GAO makes its recommendation.
DOD officials have said the Size and Mix of Airlift Force Study Plan given to the GAO for review was a draft and a more "robust and detailed" plan will be complete mid-June.
