US Air Force finalizes $2.3 billion contract with Boeing for 15 KC-46 tanker aircraft

News, US December 3, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

The United States Air Force has given a $2.3 billion contract to Boeing for the production of 15 additional KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft. The U.S. Air Force plans to increase the number of its total KC-46A aircraft to 176. The latest contracts bring the total number to 153.

Announced on November 29, 2023, the latest contract between the U.S. Air Force and Boeing Defense, Space & Securities, is part of a long-term plan that aims to reinforce the strategic advantage of this multi-mission aircraft for domestic and international defense forces.

Boeing has so far delivered 76 planes, while the total number of finalized planes according to the agreements currently stands at 153.

According to company vice president Lynn Fox, the latest order reflects the Air Force’s trust in the capability of the tanker aircraft. “We understand the advantages that KC-46 capabilities give the warfighters, and in the current global environment, we continue to focus our investments on evolving the aircraft for the changing needs of the mission,” she said.

The Pentagon said that work on these aircraft, which will be the KC-46’s tenth production lot, is expected to be complete by the end of July 2027. Boeing produces its KC-46 aircraft at its factory in Everett, Washington.

*^{Boeing KC-46 aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft (Image Credit: Boeing)}*

Over the past year, the Air Force has marked significant milestones in enhancing the capabilities of the KC-46 and expanding its presence within the fleet. In a noteworthy development in September 2022, the Air Force approved the KC-46 to conduct refueling operations for all aircraft types, except the U.S. Air Force A-10 Warthog.

KC-46s also took part in July’s Mobility Guardian 23 exercise in the Indo-Pacific region, during which the tankers flew sorties of up to 35 hours straight. The service said in a release this showed the aircraft’s ability to carry out complex long-distance, long-duration missions to refuel fighters and other aircraft during operations.

KC-46 Pegasus

Boeing’s KC-46 aircraft is a modified version of the 767 airliners, and the multi-role tanker can carry up to 18 military standardized pallets (463L) in cargo configuration. The plane uses the Wing Air Refueling Pod (WARP) system for aerial refueling operations. It is also equipped for aeromedical evacuation.

Apart from the U.S. Air Force, the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force has two KC-46s in its fleet and four more on contract with Boeing, and Israel has ordered four of its own. According to Boeing, the versatile aircraft is “equipped with robust defensive and tactical situational awareness systems that will help Japan secure and maintain its air superiority.”

*^{Key Features and Capabilities of KC-46 tanker aircraft. (Image Credit: Boeing)}*

Troubled production

Boeing halted the production of its Pegasus aircraft for some time after several issues were raised regarding the built quality and operation capabilities of the planes. Among these issues was its RVS, or the camera and video system that boom operators use to guide them when refueling an aircraft.

The U.S. Air Force officials reported that the current RVS video was 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. However, Boeing claimed that it has designed a “Remote Vision System 2.0” that will fix the issues on its dime. It is not yet clear whether the RVS 2.0 will be replaced in all the planes that have been delivered to the U.S. Air Force.