WASHINGTON, Jan. 3, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) announced today that it has submitted its Final Proposal Revision (FPR) for the U.S. Air Force KC-X Tanker Program. The projected contract award is expected on or about Jan. 31, 2008 according to the Air Force.
Northrop Grumman is leading a world-class team of global aerospace suppliers including EADS, General Electric, Sargent Fletcher, Honeywell, Parker, AAR, Knight Aerospace, Telephonics and others in offering the KC-30 Tanker to the U.S. Air Force to replace its aging fleet of KC-135 Tankers. The KC-30 Tanker is based upon the highly reliable, modern and commercially successful A330 platform provided by EADS.
"I am extremely proud of the quality of the KC-30 team and the progress it continues to make since initial proposal submission in April 2007," said Ronald D. Sugar, Northrop Grumman chairman and chief executive officer. "Our solution, the KC-30 Tanker, not only offers greater capabilities and versatility than any tanker available today, it offers the lowest entry risk. It also meets all of the Air Force's key requirements and is superior in every respect to the KC-135R it replaces. The KC-30 is clearly a 'game changer' in that it is the only solution to provide the potential breakthrough in future Air Force air mobility capability as the C-17 did in replacing the venerable C-141."
About the KC-30: Northrop Grumman's KC-30 Tanker aircraft will be assembled in Mobile, Ala., bringing thousands of new aerospace jobs to the U.S. that do not exist today. The KC-30 is the most modern tanker ever built and produced by the most capable workforce in the world. The KC-30 Tanker will employ more than 200 U.S. companies in 49 states, centered on new facilities in Mobile. Highly-skilled aerospace workers in Alabama stand proud and ready to build the most capable Tanker for our Armed Forces. The KC-30 carries 45,000 more pounds of fuel than a KC-135 or any competitor, providing a significant boost to the U.S. Air Force's global reach. The KC-30 is also designed to refuel Navy and coalition aircraft, and to serve as a multi-role transport aircraft to move passengers, cargo and medical evacuation patients. The KC-30 incorporates defense systems, precision fly-by-wire technology, and the ability to integrate a communications suite and a global support network.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $31.5 billion global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.