Posted on 07/02/2010 6:14:05 AM PDT by Yo-Yo
A new US company has entered the race for the US Air Force KC-X contract with a bid based on Ukrainian-built Antonov series airlifters.
A 1 July regulatory filing by the publicly-traded US Aerospace Inc. confirms the firm intends to bid in response to the USAF request for proposals for KC-X.
The filing document says US Aerospace will submit three models of Antonov aircraft - An-124-KC, An-122-KC and An-112-KC - before the KC-X bidding deadline on 9 July. The aircraft will be assembled in the US, but built in the Ukraine.
"We believe that we will be able to offer a superior aircraft at a significantly lower price than other potential bidders," the company says in the 8-K filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
The US Aerospace/Antonov adds a dramatic new twist in the already heated competition between the Boeing KC-767 NewGen Tanker and EADS North America KC-45.
Antonov An-124 transports have been leased heavily by the USAF over the past decade to relieve demand on the strategic airlift fleet.
Little is known about the other two Antonov models listed by US Aerospace in the 8-K form. The An-122 is reportedly a two-engine version of the An-124. Meanwhile, an online Wikipedia entry on the An-12 turboprop cites a book reference to a concept for the An-112, which is described as a jet-powered, swept-wing variant of the Soviet Union's 1950s-era response to the Lockheed C-130.
The KC-X bid by US Aerospace is part of a broader strategic cooperation agreement signed with Antonov, according to the 8-K filing.
The agreement also includes bidding for other projects with Antonov aircraft to the Department of Defense, USAF and "licensed US defense contractors". The pact also covers the "sale of Antonov aircraft, products and services in the United States", the 8-K form says.
Antonov is responsible for design, construction and manufacture of aircraft under the agreement.
"We will be responsible for coordinating the bidding process, negotiating and contracting with customers, and coordinating with defense subcontractors for specialized systems," the filing document says.
Yea the good part is at 50% load factor they only need 9500 foot runways which exist exactly where in the usa????????
It IS amazing. I think there was actually that model of Antonov taking off from the local airport yesterday as I drove past - it was just effing HUGE. Never seen one before in person but it’s every bit as large as a C-5.
I believe it is larger by a large margin. It is an impressive aircraft.
I believe it is larger by a large margin. It is an impressive aircraft.
I believe it is larger by a large margin. It is an impressive aircraft.
Heh. This should make a few protectionist heads explode.
According an airforce site that is pretty much the takeoff distance when fully loaded. And there are plenty of runways that size. AN-124s fly in and out of the US all the time.
But I don’t see what your point is because they are not talking about making one of those into a tanker.
Me too, I saw a ramp full of them once at an airfield in Kaposjulak, Hungary and would have loved to have gotten a hop in one, but never got the chance.
regards,
They make killer bush/rough country planes, especially since De Havilland quit making the iconic Beaver almost half a century ago. Got the chance to fly one a decade ago.
Put tundra tires on one of those AN-2s and it can land almost anywhere.
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