美 보잉 차기공중급유기 공개, Boeing to offer NewGen Tanker to USAF...

 

미국 보잉社가 미 공군의 차기공중급유기 도입사업 (KC-X) 후보기종으로 NewGen Tanker 를 3월 4일 공개했습니다. 미

공군의 KC-X 사업은 총액 약 350~400억불 규모로 179대의 공중급유기를 도입하는 사업입니다.

 

2008년 2월 미 공군은, 노스롭그루먼/EADS社의 KC-45 (A330 MRTT) 를 KC-X 후보기종으로 선정한 바 있습니다. 그러나

탈락 업체인 보잉이 제기한 선정과정에서의 불공정 항의가 받아들여져, 미 국방성과 공군은 1차 선정을 취소하고 지난 2월

24일 2차 사업참여 제안요청서 (RFP) 를 발표했습니다. --->  US KC-X Tanker RFP

 

이에 보잉은 NewGen Tanker 라는 이름으로 KC-X 사업에 재도전 하겠다는 발표를 이번에 하게 된 것입니다. 보잉이 공개

한 NewGen Tanker 관련 발표문과 그래픽 이미지를 바탕으로 몇가지 특징을 살펴보면 다음과 같습니다.

 

1.

767-200 동체에 Blended winglet 을 포함한 767-300 주익을 채용해서 기존 KC-767, 특히 이탈리아가 도입/운용할 모델에서

발생하고 있는 wing flutter 현상을 없앨려는 노력을 하였으며, 조종석은 현재 개발 중인 787 Dreamliner 의 조종석과 동일한

사양을 채용해서 경쟁기종인 KC-45 대비 75% 이상 확대된 대형 화면을 제공해 준다고 합니다.

 

2.

급유시스템은 2008년 1차 사업에서 제안했던 KC-135 에 장착된 Ruddervator 구조의 Boom 방식을 취소하고, 대신 KC-10

급유기에 장착된 것과 동일한 Boom 에 Fly-by-wire 를 적용한 것을 제안 했습니다. 이는 지난 2월 24일 미 공군이 RFP 를

통해 요구한 분당 1,200 gal 의 급유능력을 충족시키 위함으로 보입니다.

 

3.

또한 1차 사업에서는 기존 767-200 상용기의 동체와 부품들을 조합시킨 모델을 제안함으로써, [Flankentanker] 라는 혹평과

함께 보잉의 성의없는 태도를 비난하기도 했습니다. 그러나, NewGen Tanker 의 경우 플랫폼은 여전히 767 기종을 기반으로

하고 있으나, 연료 탑재량의 증가와 함께 327개 항목에 이르는 미 공군의 RFP 를 충족시키고자 하는 보잉의 노력이 엿보이는

모델로 일단 평가를 하고 있습니다.

 

4.

그리고 40년 운용기준으로 경쟁기종 KC-45 대비 약 24% 의 연료절감 효과가 있어, 이를 금액으로 환산하면 약 100억불 정도

연료비를 아낄 수 있다고 합니다.

 

 

지난 수개월 동안 보잉은 KC-7A7 이라는 이름으로 767 과 777, 2개의 기종을 복수로 제안할 것이라는 소식도 있었습니다.

그러나 이번 NewGen Tanker 의 등장으로 777 을 기반으로 하는 공중급유기 개발은 없을 것으로 판단됩니다. 또한 우리

대한민국의 입장에서도 향후 공중급유기 도입사업을 추진할 경우, NewGen Tanker 역시 유력 후보기종으로 검토될 것으

로 생각합니다.

 

보잉사에서 공개한 NewGen Tanker 홍보 동영상과 그래픽 사진 그리고 공식 발표문을 소개합니다.

 

 

  ⓒ Boeing Co. 

 

Boeing to Offer NewGen Tanker to US Air Force

 

ST. LOUIS, March 4, 2010 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced that it will offer the Boeing NewGen Tanker in the competition to supply the U.S. Air Force with a multi-mission aerial refueling aircraft that will meet all the warfighter’s mission requirements for the next several decades.

 

Dennis Muilenburg, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, said the Boeing NewGen Tanker will satisfy all mandatory Air Force requirements and offer an American-made tanker that will be capable, survivable, and combat-ready at the lowest cost to the taxpayer.

 

“Having supplied tankers to the Air Force for the past 60 years, Boeing has drawn on its unmatched aerial-refueling experience to thoroughly review and evaluate the KC-X solicitation issued by the Air Force,” Muilenburg said. “We respect and understand the KC-X requirements, and appreciate the importance of this program for the United States and its warfighters. We intend to bid for the honor to work with our Air Force customer to replace the existing fleet of KC-135 aircraft with a new-generation, multi-role tanker in a fair and transparent acquisition process.”

 

Boeing studied the mission requirements closely to determine the optimal airframe size that would deliver the most capability for the lowest cost to own and operate. The result was the NewGen Tanker, a widebody, multi-mission aircraft based on the proven Boeing 767 commercial aircraft, updated with the latest and most advanced technology and capable of fulfilling the Air Force’s needs for transport of fuel, cargo, passengers and patients.

 

The multi-mission aircraft is named NewGen because it includes several state-of-the-art systems to meet the demanding mission requirements of the future. They include:

 

→ A digital flight deck featuring electronic displays taken directly from the most advanced commercial airliner in existence -- the Boeing 787 Dreamliner -- that show all flight attitude, navigation, engine indication and crew-alerting information on screens 75 percent larger than on a commercial Airbus A330.

 

→ A new-generation fly-by-wire boom with an expanded refueling envelope and increased fuel offload rate. It will meet the Air Force requirement and simplify refueling operations to reduce workload for the aircrew and improve safety and reliability. Boeing is the only team in the KC-X competition that has invented, manufactured and delivered combat-tested aerial refueling booms.

 

→ The Boeing NewGen Tanker will be controlled by the aircrew, which has unrestricted access to the full flight envelope for threat avoidance at any time, rather than allowing computer software to limit combat maneuverability.

 

The NewGen Tanker will meet all of the Air Force’s 372 requirements -- including a production rate at whatever level the Air Force determines -- with a low-risk approach to manufacturing that relies on existing Boeing facilities in Washington state and Kansas as well as U.S. suppliers throughout the nation, with decades of experience delivering dependable military tanker and derivative aircraft.

 

“The NewGen Tanker will draw on the experience and talents of an integrated U.S. Tanker Team, including the best of our Boeing defense and commercial businesses and our nationwide supplier network,” said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “It’s a proven team and existing infrastructure that is ready to deliver these NewGen Tankers on Day one.”

 

More cost-effective to own and operate than the larger, heavier Airbus airplane, the Boeing NewGen Tanker will save American taxpayers more than $10 billion in fuel costs over its 40-year service life because it burns 24 percent less fuel. The Boeing NewGen Tanker program also will support substantially more jobs in the United States than an Airbus A330 tanker that is designed and largely manufactured in Europe.

 

Boeing has been designing, building, modifying and supporting tankers for decades. Those tankers include the KC-135 that will be replaced in the KC-X competition, and the KC-10 fleet. The company also has delivered four KC-767Js to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and is on contract to deliver four KC-767s to the Italian Air Force. Three of the four Italian tankers are in flight test, with the fourth airplane in production.

 

The Air Force released its final KC-X Request for Proposal on Feb. 24. Boeing will deliver its proposal by May 10, within the 75-day period set forth in the terms of the solicitation. The Air Force is expected to announce its decision later this year.

 

To watch Boeing’s KC-X offering announcement video and experience an interactive virtual tour of the Boeing NewGen Tanker, visit www.UnitedStatesTanker.com. This Web site provides the latest information regarding The Boeing Company’s offer for the KC-X tanker competition.

 

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

 

 

  ⓒ Boeing Co.

 

  ⓒ Boeing Co.

 

  ⓒ Boeing Co.