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TITLE I—PROCUREMENT

Subtitle D--Air Force Programs

DHNDAA Section

House Armed Services Report 110-652

SEC. 133. REPORTS ON KC-(X) TANKER AIRCRAFT REQUIREMENTS.

(a) Report Required- Not later than March 1, 2009, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report regarding the competition for the KC-(X) tanker aircraft that was terminated on September 10, 2008. The report shall include the following:

(1) An examination of original requirements for the KC-(X) tanker aircraft, including an explanation for the use of the KC-135R tanker aircraft as the baseline for the KC-(X) tanker aircraft.

(2) A summary of commercial derivative or commercial off-the-shelf aircraft available as potential aerial refueling platforms using aerial refueling capabilities (such as range, offload at range, and passenger and cargo capacity) in each of the following ranges:

(A) Maximum gross take-off weight that is less than 300,000 pounds.

(B) Maximum gross take-off weight in the range from 301,000 pounds maximum gross take-off weight to 550,000 pound maximum gross take-off weight.

(C) Maximum gross take-off weight in the range from 551,000 pounds maximum gross take-off weight to 1,000,000 pound maximum gross take-off weight.

(D) Maximum gross take-off weight that is greater than 1,000,000 pounds.

(b) Reassessment Required- The Secretary of Defense shall reassess the requirements for aerial refueling that were validated by the Joint Requirements Oversight Council on December 27, 2006. Not later than 30 days after the reassessment, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing the complete results of the reassessment.

This section would require the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a report to the congressional defense committees by December 1, 2008, that: examines the processes used to determine KC-X requirements; outlines why the KC-135R aircraft was established as the comparative baseline aircraft for KC-X; provides an evaluation of very large tanker aircraft as a potential Air Force aerial refueling platform; and, examines aerial refueling aircraft range, fuel offload at range and passenger/cargo carrying capabilities.