WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today said he was pleased with the Air Forces’ decision to review the procurement of the Afghanistan Light Air Support Contract (LAS).

“Given the concerns over this procurement,” Roberts said, “I am pleased the Air Force has decided to review the process for the LAS. This is a reasonable step forward and I hope this will lead to a full debrief for Hawker Beechcraft. At the end of the day, every competitor wants to know the process was fair. I think with this decision, we are closer to that goal for all.”

According to the Secretary of the Air Force, Michael B. Donley, there is dissatisfaction with the quality of the documentation supporting the award decision. The Secretary said, "While we pursue perfection, we sometimes fall short, and when we do we will take corrective action.”

Senator Roberts first wrote the Air Force on November 30, 2011 demanding a briefing for Hawker Beechcraft after the company was excluded from the competition. He reiterated Hawker Beechcraft’s need for a debriefing to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta on January 20, 2012.

Hawker Beechcraft decided to contest the contract decision in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. A decision is expected this spring. In January, the Air Force issued a Stop Work Order on the Light Air Support Contract after Senator Roberts, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, Congressman Mike Pompeo and others raised concerns over the process of the award.

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