DA.C - View Single Post - Northrop Grumman

champpitbull2 · 03-01-2008, 03:11 PM

One of the things I think Boeing will challenge is the whole size issue. It had been said from the vary begining by Boeing that if the USAF wanted a larger plane they could give them one in the form of the 777. But with the way the proposal was interpreted, size wasn't the overall issue. In the case of the 330 and the 767, the 330 wins out on many of the issues that deal with size. If Boeing had entered the 777 the competition would have been more compareable.
As a replacement for the KC-135, going with the 330 is going to cost an astronomical amount of money in terms of infrastructure due to the large amount of money that will have to be invested in hangars alone.

KC135- Height 41ft Length 136' Wingspan 130'
B767- Height 52ft Length 159' Wingspan 156'
A330- Height 58ft Length 192' Wingspan 197'
B777-200 Height 60ft Length 209' Wingspan 199'

With those numbers some hangars would have to be replaced in order to fit a 767 in a KC-135 hangar but many would fit. I doubt any of the current KC-135 hangars will be able to hold an A330 or a 777 for that matter.

03-01-2008, 03:11 PM	#6
champpitbull2 addicted Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 572	Re: Northrop Grumman - EADS wins USAF tanker contract One of the things I think Boeing will challenge is the whole size issue. It had been said from the vary begining by Boeing that if the USAF wanted a larger plane they could give them one in the form of the 777. But with the way the proposal was interpreted, size wasn't the overall issue. In the case of the 330 and the 767, the 330 wins out on many of the issues that deal with size. If Boeing had entered the 777 the competition would have been more compareable. As a replacement for the KC-135, going with the 330 is going to cost an astronomical amount of money in terms of infrastructure due to the large amount of money that will have to be invested in hangars alone. KC135- Height 41ft Length 136' Wingspan 130' B767- Height 52ft Length 159' Wingspan 156' A330- Height 58ft Length 192' Wingspan 197' B777-200 Height 60ft Length 209' Wingspan 199' With those numbers some hangars would have to be replaced in order to fit a 767 in a KC-135 hangar but many would fit. I doubt any of the current KC-135 hangars will be able to hold an A330 or a 777 for that matter. Last edited by champpitbull2; 03-01-2008 at 03:18 PM.