As hard- fought competitions go, the US Air Force's KC-X tanker battle has had pretty much everything to offer. Congressional scrutiny, corporate impropriety and a flawed procurement model have thwarted the service's three previous attempts to replace more than a third of its Boeing KC-135s. And after months of uncertainty over the likelihood of a renewed Airbus A 330-based offer, the Department of Defense's recent approval of a 60-day bid extension has enraged Boeing's supporters, and upped the pressure on an already strained transatlantic industrial relationship.
