I'm writing this blog entry from Orlando, Florida, host to the Air Force Association's (AFA) annual winter Air Warfare Symposium. Senior leaders from America's Air Force convene today and Friday to talk about their key priorities and work challenging issues. For Boeing, we are completely focused on having as many conversations with this important customer as we can. For me, this is my first chance to reconnect with those customers I was fortunate enough to work with previously in Boeing's Global Mobility Systems and on the C-17 program.

But my new role as the company's USAF Tanker program leader makes this show a bit different. While I'm enthusiastic to see the "key players" in KC-X, I'm more interested in listening rather than in doing the talking. As we move closer to the U.S. Government's release of their final KC-X Tanker Request for Proposal (RFP), the ability of our Air Force customer to speak with industry directly will become more restricted.

After we see the final RFP drop, Boeing will review it very closely and soon after announce the tanker we will offer in this competition. We are fortunate to have a portfolio of tankers (767 and 777-based) to offer the warfighter and taxpayer. Much like in the Olympic Games where athletes prepare rigorously for a single competition, we have spent a great deal of time preparing for this milestone. Our extensive experience in both air refueling technology and in building commercial derivative airplanes allow us to confidently state that we're ready to offer an American made combat-ready tanker at the lowest cost to the taxpayer.

Before I close my first blog, I'd like to mention a new feature we're introducing on unitedstatestanker.com. It's called Tanker Trek 2010, and it's a way for everyone to follow the travels of the 64,000 pound Boeing Aerial Refueling Technology (BART) trailer that will visit trade shows, military events and supplier rallies across the country. The state-of-the art, hands-on refueling demonstrator and advanced flight deck simulator is on a trek to educate, inform and engage key stakeholders and audiences around the country.

Click here to see a map that highlights BART’s journey. Click on the trailer markers to view more information about each stop or click on the postage stamp to see a postcard from the latest event with tanker trivia and historical military information about the location.

We're on this journey together, and next week should prove to be very exciting in this critical KC-X Tanker competition.