WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner (R-AL) today made the following statement after the Department of Defense announced it is canceling the tanker replacement program:
“I am outraged by the Department of Defense’s decision to cancel this competition.
“We now have a 50 year old aircraft fleet with no viable plans to replace it.
“It has been seven years since the Air Force initiated its program to replace the KC-135 fleet. The current competition began on April 2006, and DoD’s latest plan was to award a contract by the end of the year.
“Today, we are told DoD is scrapping all the work that has been done by all parties since April 2006 and is essentially declaring the project “too hard to do.”
“The secretary says his decision was necessary because DoD could not make an award before the end of this presidential administration. That is flawed thinking. Competitions should be non-political processes carried out by the career professionals in the military. They frequently bridge presidential administrations.
“I am, frankly, embarrassed for the DoD leadership. They have an urgent military need yet are simply giving up efforts to address that need.
“It is a very sad comment when our nation is engaged in two wars – in two different regions of the world – that DoD would abdicate its responsibility.
“On September 7th, alone, it was reported that the Air Force and coalition tanker crews flew 45 sorties and off-loaded approximately 3.2 million pounds of fuel to 180 receiving aircraft. This type activity is occurring every day, and yet, we are now left with the numbing decision to continue flying the tankers built when Dwight Eisenhower was president.
“Along the Gulf Coast, people are often told to “fish or cut bait.” DoD has been cutting bait far too long on this program. Imagine what the men and women of our military must be thinking right now.”
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