Looks Like the AF Is Wanting Survivable Support Aircraft

There were some interesting articles this past week. First one is
"New, Stealthy Aircraft Eyed for Special Ops Forces". According to
Janes this offering is apparently coming out of a classified
initiative:
http://www.janes.com/defence/air_for...0217_1_n.shtml
Dubbed "MACK" for M-X; A-X; a regular airlifter, C-X; and a future
tanker, K-X, it is being offered up for AFSOC use. It is also being
considered for a stealthy penetrating tanker role (ASWT Feb 23):
"Moreover, U.S. Air Force representatives have indicated interest in a
stealthy tanker to support their stealthy attack platforms, the
F/A-22, F-35 and B-2, to make them less susceptible to attack while
they refuel. To adequately satisfy that demand, Lockheed Martin has
devised a stealth shrouding for the refueling "boom."

With the 767 deal all but dead...: http://www.ddn.com/
"Going, Going, Gone? Even Wall Street seems to be getting a bit tired
of the Air Force's protracted plans to acquire 100 KC-767 tankers from
Boeing. A Morgan Stanley analyst writes in a recent report that
reports of further delays--and even cancellation--are likely true. But
that's just as well, the analyst writes. "The tanker deal was becoming
so wrought with additional baggage that the deal was looking less and
less likely to occur, in our view," according to the report. "Frankly,
we believe it would be better for [Boeing] if the deal died sooner
rather than later given the company is expending about $90
[million]/Qtr on the deal."...And the number one priority of Boeing in
recent years has been to listen to Wall Street.
....Boeing is getting into the act as well with their Blended Wing Body
concept(AWST Feb23):
"Boeing is also pushing the BWB concept for a potential air refueling
tanker, which would be able to carry massive amounts of fuel and
provide two permanent boom refueling stations, rather than one as in
the KC-135, KC-10 or KC-767."
"Boeing doesn't have any other aircraft to use for that purpose once
the 767 line shuts down. To achieve the efficiency goals the company
is touting for the 7E7, engineers are making structural trade-offs
that mean the airliner can't be converted into a tanker, according to
several Boeing officials."