Boeing's new tanker has a name: KC-767

Boeing Co., whose quest to gain the U.S. Air Force's $35 billion air-tanker contract was set back with the extension of the bidding deadline to July 9, already has a pending application for a trademark for the aircraft.

Chicago-based Boeing, which is presently the only known bidder for the contract, applied to register "KC-767" as a trademark in March 2006, according to the database of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The mark is to be used for aircraft, Boeing said in its application.

According to the designations-systems.net Web site, the Air Force approved the KC-767 in September 2002 for a Boeing tanker based on its 767 aircraft. Boeing is the maker of the KC-135 tanker the Air Force first ordered in 1954, which the new tanker is intended to replace.

The Department of Defense said March 31 it was extending the bidding deadline to July 9 if the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. decides to submit a bid. Netherlands-based EADS asked for an extension after partner Northrop Grumman Corp. dropped out of the competition on March 8, saying the bidding contest favored the Boeing aircraft.