Yep.Cole wrote: ↑Thu 09 Jul 2020, 5:37 pmWasnt there a contract for the Tristars in the US?TonyC wrote: ↑Thu 09 Jul 2020, 3:21 pmWhich aircraft could potential fly out, hope Canopus is one?GertrudetheMerciless wrote: ↑Wed 08 Jul 2020, 7:47 pm...but until the axe falls there are still some aircraft that could potentially fly out on a one flight ferry.
Sort of an AirTanker kind of deal ?
The 6 x Tristar’s are owned by Tristar Air LLC, who in April 2019 won the competitive tender for the 2020 USN AAR single award contract (for which they wanted the Tristars) against the current contractor Omega Air Refueling who only had 2 x KC-707 and a single KDC-10.
Omega protested twice regarding how the ‘competition’ was run. USN then cancelled the contract award to Tristar LLC and announced they would pursue a multiple award contract. Omega and Tristar are the only two ‘private contract’ AAR companies with a hose n drogue AAR fleet suitable for the USN.
The 'new' USN contract proposal after draft issue, was only issued just last month, with a deadline for submission of only 2 days ago, 8th July, so if as expected Tristar LLC are jointly awarded the USN contract with Omega, there could soon be some serious activity around the Tristars in the coming weeks or months in prep for their departure. Rumour is Tristar LLC have been very recently trawling around ex-RAF Tristar people around BZZ area scouting for people.