Carter on KC-X

Pentagon acquisition chief Ashton Carter said this morning the Defense Department remains hopeful it will have competition in the Air Force's $35 billion KC-X tanker program, as opposed to having to award a sole-source contract.

DOD believes it has a "fair, transparent, right-down-the-middle approach" to the important and lucrative program, he said at a conference sponsored by Aviation Week.

As InsideDefense.com recently reported, the Air Force will release a request for proposals for tanker competition no earlier than Feb. 23. Once the RFP is out, Boeing and Northrop Grumman-EADS will have 75 days to respond, according to a Feb. 8 Federal Business Opportunities notice. The service plans to award the KC-X contract in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2010.