The barrier net system will be used to restrain and contain cargo inside the aircraft. One of the secondary missions of the modified 767 tanker being built by Boeing is to carry cargo and these nets are key to ensuring a safe flight.

AmSafe is one of the world’s leading manufacturer of these type of systems. They also build safety curtains as part of this to prevent any fire and smoke from the cargo area entering the cockpit and crew areas.

The KC-46A program is continuing a pace with the first aircraft expected to be flown in 2015. Ultimately the Air Force could buy over 170 of the aircraft from this contract.

Boeing is slowly releasing information about the KC-46A design.

World Trade Organization softens ruling against EADS (EADS:P). Boeing and U.S. still claim victory.

House puts strong cost controls on KC-46A with mandatory reporting requirements for Air Force.

First Australian KC-30 arrives at RAAF base for introduction into service.

The company had filed the protest because the Air Force had said their proposal was delivered past the deadline for submission. U.S. Aerospace claimed that their courier was deliberately delayed and should have been allowed to make the delivery on time.

This decision leaves only the Boeing (BA) and EADS (EADS:P) bids as being considered for the contract. The Air Force had previously said that a decision would be announced around the middle of November but there have been reports that this might slip.

Realistically the chances of this bid being selected are low. The companies had asked for a sixty day extension to work on their proposal. The Air Force already slipping the contract deadline one month to accommodate EADS refused the further two month slip. This would have pushed award into 2011 with the current planned date of mid-November this year already late enough. The U.S. has been trying to get a replacement tanker for the aging KC-135 since 2001.

U.S. Aerospace and its partner obviously felt their proposal could be improved with the extra two months but did go ahead an turn one in that they feel meets all of the Air Force requirements. At the same time in a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) U.S. Aerospace makes clear that the Air Force could easily reject them.

The company writes “For any or all of these reasons, the Air Force may not select our bid, may disqualify our bid, or may refuse to consider it on the merits, or at all,” based on myriad factors. These include not meeting requirements, not having qualified sub-contractors, not having necessary facilities or capabilities and even missing the deadline. They didn’t do that turning one in on time.

Of course all of this could be standard “Forward Looking Statements” meant to make clear to anyone investing in their stock that they are being conservative in their estimates. The stock was trading at 18 cents at the close on Friday.

Certainly they have offered a cost effective approach. The Air Force must consider if it meets their requirements and they have the ability to produce the systems to the necessary schedule. Certainly stranger things have happened in defense contracting.

Also U.S. Aerospace and Antonov submitted their competing proposal after losing a bid to delay things sixty days. There total cost is under thirty billion for a contract the Air Force has estimated at $37.5 billion based on an aircraft cost of only $150 million each.

The Air Force plan is to award the contract in four months. The three bids may make the competition’s source selection last longer and may also raise the chance of a protest.

If the U.S. Aerospace / Antonov team wins it might get very interesting.

The current schedule is for a contract award in November and this new extension would probably push that into 2011 due to the time it will take to evaluate a third bid. U.S. Aerospace did say that they will submit this week if no extension is granted.

A third proposal will make the contest more interesting especially as the Antonov will be very price competitive.

Technically this is a delay of several weeks from the original schedule. The chances though of the Air Force meeting that were low as it was very aggressive. It only gave them four months to review proposals and conduct the award. Even if they assumed the new proposals were similar to the last ones in 2008 that amount of time to conduct a source selection for a contract of this size may have been a little unrealistic.

This decision will spur EADS’ opponents and Boeing (BA) supporters to further their current war of words.

It starts “The Air Force’s ten-year effort to purchase a new aerial tanker continues rapidly seems to be disintegrating. The third attempt at awarding a contract for what has now become one of the most critical needs for the Department of Defense has been roiled by international trade, politics and concerns about the whole approach.”

You may read the rest here.

Boeing has denied these reports and it would certainly seem strange for them not to after all of the arguing and noise about giving the contract to them for American jobs. There is though real concern that the contract may limit the ability of the winner to make money on it. In the past fixed price contracts for development often have not worked costing the contractor millions that it can only hope to make up on production.

It would be somewhat ironic that the Pentagon’s desire to limit their cost and exposure would cause even more delays to this critical program. One that is so critical that a sixty day delay in the RFP process has been attacked by legislators, media, retired military and unions.

Jean Chamberlin will be assigned as vice president and general manger of A&T.

The group will face serious challenges in the future if the KC-X is not won as C-17 production is winding down for the Air Force and the number of overseas sales is not large. There continues to be support in Congress to keep the C-17 going and if the KC-X contract does go to another source that pressure will only increase.

Good Luck to Ms. Chamberlin in her new job.