British won't use Airbus tanker for Afghanistan, can't handle “high threat environments”

Lately I've been writing about the parent of Airbus, EADS, bidding on an Air Force tanker known as the KC-X. It's bid isn't very good on a number of levels. It won't produce many American jobs--and its tanker proposal, based on the Airbus A330 jet, doesn't match the Pentagon's needs.

That was my feeling before I read this article from today's Tacoma News Tribune:

Britain's new fleet of Airbus A330-based aerial tankers can't refuel warplanes over Afghanistan or other war zones because they're unequipped to fly in "high threat environments," a British publication says.

The Mail said the tankers need armor, antimissile systems and early warning electronics to allow them to operate in hostile environments. Equipping the 14 Airbus tankers with that equipment would cost British taxpayers millions more, a report from Britain's National Audit Office said.

The A330-based tankers are similar to the ones that Airbus parent EADS is contemplating offering the U.S. Air Force in a competition for a 179-plane contract. Boeing will bid its 767-based tanker in competition with the EADS plane.

The lack of sufficient protective equipment means that Britain will continue relying on its aging VC10 and Lockheed 1011-based tankers for refueling in the war zone.

It will be interesting how people like French Nicolas Sarkozy who has claimed the bidding process isn't fair and has accused the United State of protectionism.

But we still extendeded the deadline to accomodate EADS and its Airbus bid.

Our nation may not be perfect, but we try to be fair. Perhaps too fair.

The other bidder on the KC-X is Chicago-based Boeing.

Related posts:

Airbus looks to rebid on Air Force tanker--as WTO scolds EU for illegal subsidies to it

Hot air from France on Air Force tanker deal

Technorati tags: military business Boeing airbus politique air force aviation jobs uk Afghanistan war on terror military defense