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Air Force halts aircraft contract during court challenge

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By John Nolan, Staff Writer Updated 10:23 AM Thursday, January 5, 2012

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE — The Air Force has, at least for now, stopped its purchase of a Brazilian-built airplane intended for training and equipping Afghan forces, while a U.S. aircraft maker seeking the contract is pursuing a court challenge.

The Air Force issued what it described as a temporary stop-work order for the Light Air Support contract awarded on Dec. 22 to Sierra Nevada Corp., a U.S. partner of Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer.

The Air Force said it decided to take the action while Hawker Beechcraft Corp., of Wichita, Kan., tries to obtain a court order from the U.S. Court of Federal Claims to stop the contract with Sierra Nevada. Hawker claims that its Beechcraft AT-6 plane was excluded from the contract competition.

The Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base issued the contract.

“The competition and source selection evaluation were fair, open and transparent,” Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Wesley Miller said in a statement Wednesday from the Pentagon. “The Air Force is confident in the merits of its contract award decision and anticipates that the litigation will be quickly resolved.”

The Air Force had previously said that it wanted to proceed with the $355.1 million purchase of the 20 turboprop Light Air Support aircraft and associated equipment from Sierra Nevada because U.S. forces in Afghanistan needed the planes.

Embraer’s A-29 Super Tucano is to be used for flight training, reconnaissance and light air support operations, the Air Force said. The U.S.-purchased aircraft will be used to train Afghan pilots and then given to Afghanistan to help that country take responsibility for its security as the United States phases out its operations there, officials said.

Sierra Nevada is to deliver the single-engine turboprop aircraft by April 30, 2014, under a contract that will allow the Air Force to procure related equipment and services for up to five years.

The deal could ultimately consume nearly $1 billion in U.S. taxpayer money, according to Hawker Beechcraft.

Sierra Nevada, based in Sparks, Nev., said it would build the A-29 Super Tucano in Jacksonville, Fla., using American employees along with parts and services from at least 70 U.S. suppliers in 21 states.

Hawker Beechcraft filed suit after the U.S. Government Accountability Office, an arm of Congress, declined to review the company’s protest of the contract award.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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