Hawker Beechcraft to request review of U.S. Air Force Light Air Support bidding process

Posted by Courtney E. Howard

WICHITA, Kan., 21 Nov. 2011.Hawker Beechcraft Corp. (HBC) officials, after receiving official notification from the U.S. Air Force that the Beechcraft AT-6 has been excluded from continuing in the Light Air Support (LAS) bidding process, issued a statement.

"We have been notified by the United States Air Force in a letter that the Beechcraft AT-6 has been excluded from the Light Air Support competition. The letter provides no basis for the exclusion. We are both confounded and troubled by this decision, as we have been working closely with the Air Force for two years and, with our partners, have invested more than $100 million preparing to meet the Air Force's specific requirements. Additionally, the AT-6 has been evaluated and proven capable through a multi-year, Congressionally-funded demonstration program led by the Air National Guard. We have followed the Air Force's guidance closely and, based on what we have seen, we continue to believe that we submitted the most capable, affordable and sustainable light attack aircraft as measured against the Air Force's Request for Proposal. We have requested a debriefing from the Air Force and will be exploring all potential options in the coming days."