Japan receives first KC-46A tanker from Boeing

Asia-Pacific, News, US November 1, 2021 , by IRIA No Comments

Boeing delivered the KC-46A tanker to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force on Oct. 31, four years after signing a $289 million contract with Japan in December 2017.

Japan becomes the first non-U.S. operator of the Boeing plane KC-46A. Before Japan received the plane, the U.S. Air Force was the sole operator of the tanker.

According to data from the flight tracking website ADS-B Exchange, the plane with the serial number 14-36111 and the call sign REACH 46 left the Boeing factory in Seattle, Washington on October 28 and the next morning arrived at the Miho Air Force Base in Japan.

Boeing Vice President and Program Manager for the KC-46 James Burgess said “This is an exciting and historic moment for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and Boeing as Japan joins the United States with the world’s most advanced, proven and safe multi-mission combat aerial refueling capability.”

He “We are looking forward to decades of partnership with our Japan customer to ensure aircraft mission effectiveness and enable the success of the JASDF.”

The President of Boeing Japan Will Shaffer said “Japan’s acquisition of KC-46A tankers marks a significant milestone for both the program and U.S.-Japan cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and plays a critical role in the security alliance between both countries.”

Shaffer highlighted that the aircraft is capable of carrying both “cargo and passengers” and would support “Japan’s humanitarian and disaster relief efforts.”

Boeing’s KC-46 aircraft is a modified version of 767 airliner, and the multi-role tanker can carry up to 18 military standardized pallets (463L) in cargo configuration. Boeing said in a press release that the versatile aircraft “is also equipped with robust defensive and tactical situational awareness systems that will help Japan secure and maintain its air superiority,” and will be useful for refueling Japan Air Self-Defense Force planes, and the U.S. Air Force and Navy aircraft.

Boeing is currently assembling the second KC-46A for Japan. According to the statement, Boeing’s Japanese partners produce 16 percent of the KC-46A airframe structure.

The KC-46 tankers will be able to refuel Japan’s fleet of Mitsubishi F-15, X-2 fighters, Bell-Boeing MV-22 Osprey tilt rotors, and Lockheed Martin F-35A and F35B Joint Strike Fighters.

Japan has announced that it will form a squadron for its new KC-46A at Miho Air Base, along with its existing tanker fleet, which consists of four KW-767 and two KS-130H tankers that are assigned to 404 Hikotai at Komaki, to operate alongside its current fleet of kc-787 and ka-129H tanks.

However, the aircraft has reported some issues, and the most serious problem revolves around the Remote Vision System (RVS), a set of cameras and sensors that provide the images needed to safely guide the boom of the tanker to the aircraft receiving the fuel. The Air Force believes that the current RVS video could be difficult to watch under certain circumstances, which makes it difficult for boom operators to refuel another aircraft without increasing the risk of scratching the fuselage.

According to sources, Boeing is designing a “Remote Vision System 2.0” that will fix the issues on its own dime. However, it is not clear if the KC-46 tankers that will be delivered to Japan would also include the new RVS system or it is only being designed for the U.S. Air Force.