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Northrop Grumman KC-45: Why We Won - Fleet Effectiveness
Northrop Grumman KC-45: Why We Won - Fleet Effectiveness
WASHINGTON, May 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The U.S. Air Force found
Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE: NOC) bid to build the next generation of
aerial refueling tankers superior to Boeing's in four of the five most
important selection criteria. Despite this fact, the losing bidder wants the
Government Accountability Office to overturn the Air Force decision to award
the contract to Northrop Grumman even though the Air Force conducted what even
Boeing described as a fair, open and transparent bidding process. Here is
another reason Northrop Grumman won, drawn from a list of facts included in a
redacted version of a protected Air Force selection document.
Fleet Effectiveness
In the KC-X Request for Proposal, the Air Force analyzed each competing
aircraft's operational capability as part of its assessment criteria. To do
so, the Air Force simulated the operations of a KC-45 and KC-767 fleet in a
highly realistic global conflict scenario using a verified and validated Air
Force simulation tool. The tankers had to fly missions operating from
real-world bases in a range of demanding roles, such as supporting fighter
deployments and refueling combat aircraft. The simulation thus factored in
the complex interactions of aircraft performance in the context of ramp space
constraints, airfield and ramp strength, distances to multiple refueling orbit
locations, and high levels of refueling demand.
After completing the simulation, the Air Force calculated how many
KC-135Rs were required to meet demand and divided this total by the number of
KC-45s or KC-767s required. The resulting number generated a Fleet
Effectiveness Value (FEV), which in essence quantifies the value of each new
tanker in terms of KC-135 equivalents.
According to the Air Force's calculations, the KC-767's FEV was 1.79
compared to the KC-45's FEV of 1.90. As the Air Force source selection
document stated, "Northrop Grumman (is) more advantageous." The Air Force
continued, "Northrop Grumman's FEV of 1.90 is superior to Boeing's FEV of
1.79." What this means, the Air Force went on to explain, is that "Northrop
Grumman's proposed aircraft can accomplish the designated scenario ... with 22
fewer aircraft than Boeing's proposed aircraft -- an efficiency of significant
value to the government."
The KC-45 provided superior operational performance in realistic combat
scenarios. The Air Force concluded that Northrop Grumman's ability to fulfill
future mission needs using fewer aircraft -- at lower cost -- "Was a
discriminator" in the Air Force's ultimate decision that Northrop Grumman's
bid provided better value than Boeing's offering.
As Sue Payton, the Air Force' chief acquisition officer, put it in a
Feb. 29 news conference announcing the award, "Northrop Grumman clearly
provided the best value to the government."
About the KC-45
The KC-45 Tanker aircraft will be assembled inMobile, Ala., and the KC-45
team will employ 48,000 American workers at 230 U.S. companies in 49 states.
It will be built by a world-class industrial team led by Northrop Grumman, and
includes EADS North America, General Electric Aviation and Sargent Fletcher.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a 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.
SOURCE Northrop Grumman Corporation
Copyright © 2008, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2008, NewsBlaze,
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