Boeing to supply US Air force with 15 additional KC-46A Pegasus tankers

Aviation Defense News November 2023
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Boeing will build an additional 15 KC-46A Pegasus tankers under a Lot 10 contract awarded by the U.S. Air Force valued at $2.3 billion. To date, 153 KC-46A multi-mission aerial refuelers are on contract globally, providing advanced capability advantages for the joint force and allies. To date, Boeing has delivered 76 KC-46As to the U.S. Air Force and two to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.

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Boeing to supply US Air force with 15 additional KC 46A Pegasus tankers Boeing KC-46A Pegasus refueling a Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II during Milestone C test (Picture source: U.S. Air Force)

“We appreciate our partnership with the U.S. Air Force, which allows for the expansion of the capacity and capability of the KC-46A fleet,” said Lynn Fox, vice president and KC-46 program manager. “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.”

With a supplier network of about 37,000 American workers employed by more than 650 businesses throughout more than 40 U.S. states, the combat-proven KC-46A is transforming the role of the tanker for the 21st century.

From aerial refueling, cargo and passenger transportation, aeromedical evacuation support, and data connectivity at the tactical edge, the KC-46A Pegasus has already been called a “game changer” for its ability to transmit and exchange data, enabling rapid air mobility, global reach and Agile Combat Employment.

Earlier this year, the Air Force awarded Boeing a Block 1 upgrade contract, adding more advanced communications capabilities to enhance the aircraft’s data connectivity and situational awareness.

The Boeing KC-46 Pegasus has been developed by Boeing from its 767 jet airliner. In February 2011, the tanker was selected by the United States Air Force as the winner in the KC-X tanker competition to replace older Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers. The first aircraft was delivered to the Air Force in January 2019. The Air Force intends to procure 179 Pegasus aircraft by 2027.