The Air Force says it wants stealthy tankers in the air by 2040 to improve its chances of pressing a battle in the far-flung locations that are often the site of such conflicts. One of its main constraints is that its tankers are sitting ducks for even the most rudimentary anti-aircraft munitions. The Air Force says the winner of the contract will offer an airplane that is "capable of surviving in contested airspace" as a primary requirement and that it will consider all shapes and sizes of aircraft.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/283663