Russia to bid for KC-X?

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US newspaper Seattle Times claims that the Russian government is considering bidding for the US Air Force’s KC-X aerial refuelling tanker contract.

The report says that state-owned aerospace company United Aircraft Corporation may offer a version of its Ilyushin Il-96 passenger airliner with a yet-to-be-announced US partner to qualify under the rules of the request for proposal. If the bid were successful the tankers would be manufactured in the US.

One US observer, Richard Aboulafia of aerospace analyst company Teal Group, said "Just when I thought [the tanker competition] couldn't get any dumber, this comes along."

(key.aero)