Boeing KC-46 Pegasus

Ouch, being installed for flight testing in April (13 months after it was supposed to have entered service) and wont start flight testing for several more months with several lab discovered performance issues themselves expected to take around another 18 months to fix.

21 of the 89 already delivered had the cracks upon inspection in addition to the 2 that failed delivery acceptance.

Its the programme that just keeps giving
 
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/07...nkers-plans-new-production-extension-program/
WASHINGTON — Just two years after unveiling a new tanker strategy that would involve the development of a futuristic stealthy tanker, the Air Force is yet again shifting course for its air refueling fleet, and is now eyeing a novel program to extend tanker production — a move that could favor Boeing’s KC-46 Pegasus.

The refreshed tanker plan, unveiled in fiscal 2026 budget documents recently released by the Defense Department, calls for a “Tanker Production Extension” program, set to launch next year. The Air Force is requesting $23.8 million for the effort, which should finish developing a request for proposals by the third quarter of FY26, according to the documents.

It’s not clear what the Air Force will ultimately decide for the new production extension program. One path would involve a competition that could draw rival bids for the KC-46 from industry players like Airbus and Embraer who have previously expressed interest in providing the service’s tanker needs. Whatever is ultimately picked for this new extension program would start production after Boeing completes deliveries under its current KC-46 contract, which is expected to conclude around the end of this decade.

[snip]
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:rolleyes:
 
"One path would involve a competition that could draw rival bids for the KC-46 from industry players like Airbus and Embraer who have previously expressed interest in providing the service’s tanker needs. "

[cynic]Just what Airbus need, another chance to submit the winning bid and watch the order end up at Boeing.[/cynic]
 
USAF will probably buy more KC-46s in the near-term. We spoke to Boeing, NG and LM at the recent ARSAG event and all three seem to be working some NGAS but the big thrust seems to be larger, unmanned, NGAS-type refueling platforms. Remember, earlier this year Boeing got awarded an $18.5M contract to review and study the potential for a larger, land-based version of the MQ-25.
 
KC-46 suffering from premature failure of its APU so Air Force personnel haven been ordered to use huffer carts to start the aircraft engines until further notice to preserve the APU's life and to try and ensure the APU can perform an aerial restart if required.

https://www.twz.com/air/kc-46-crews...tail-use-of-jets-onboard-auxiliary-power-unit
Also some pictures of the damaged aircraft and APU after the boom loss.
https://twitter.com/x/status/1943836993177497611
View: https://x.com/zaphod58/status/1943836993177497611
 
BlackBat242 said:
Like the two times the KC-330 MRTT lost a boom in flight?
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Yes in 2011 and 2012; One of them was a fighter colliding with the boom and the other was a validation test flight where they were testing an auxiliary boom motor supplied by the UAE for order localisation (not the standard auxiliary boom motor) which malfunctioned. Both resulted in the boom detaching, one falling in the Atlantic and the other on land where it was recovered.

KC-46 previous boom loss incidents are two in 2022; one where the boom snapped but remained attached to the aircraft so they had to land dragging it and another where it rebounded and struck the APU similar to the recent one during a flight with VIP's onboard to tour the aircraft, while in 2024 where there was a boom failure while attached to an F-15 that caused both the KC-46 and the fighter to suffer hydraulic failures and the fighter had to land using arrestor wires.
 
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joshjosh said:
KC-46 program of record is now increased by 75 airframes up to 263, with 154 already ordered.

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-to-buy-more-kc-46/
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Just like the 1950s tanker competition that was won by Lockheed - but the USAF had already ordered KC-135As as "an interim tanker" even before the final award to Lockheed - then ordered more "pending production of the Lockheed aircraft"... then finally a larger order near the point in time when the Lockheed contract was formally cancelled.
 
HASC, Strategic Forces Hearing: FY27 Strategic Forces Posture Hearing, Mar 17, 2026

Admiral Correll: The KC-135 is an aging platform, as you know, and the KC-46 is ramping up in terms of delivery and production. The department has analyzed and indicated that we need to sustain the tanker fleet that we have and expand it to more platforms. The minimum number is about 502 tankers.


Rep. Norcross: How many of those are dual-capable, or are you assuming they all will be?


Admiral Correll: Ideally they're all dual-capable, but as you know, the KC-135 is currently nuclear certified and the KC-46 is not yet nuclear certified. We are on a path to be able to use the new tankers to refuel nuclear-capable bombers for conventional missions, and that's where we need to get to — and then fully certify for the nuclear mission. That's the survivability and endurability piece in a trans-attack environment.
In the interim, we accept the risk and use the capability we have to refuel all aircraft, because as we look down the road, those numbers are increasing. Those flying platforms — obviously the nuclear-capable ones, I would say, would take precedence — but we don't know depending on the mission and how it's being executed.


Rep. Norcross: Boeing has had issues, and I think we're past the back end of that. Are we getting the delivery rate, or do we have to look at increasing that through Boeing?


Admiral Correll: I would advocate for continuing to look at options to accelerate delivery of the tanker fleet.
 
joshjosh said:
According to the FY27 PB, USAF requests funding for 15 KC-46 in FY27. Procurement will increase to 18 per year in FY28 and beyond. 169 airframes have been contracted, and 319 is the new (increased) target for the fleet size, which would be reached in 2035.
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A trifle optimistic, perhaps.
 
U.S. Air Force Plans Increase To KC-46 Fleet Size

The U.S. Air Force plans to field 263 KC-46 refueling tankers to fully replace its KC-135 fleet, an increase for a program originally expected to result in 179 aircraft.
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…

The tanker has not yet reached a full-rate production decision as it undergoes a long-awaited upgrade to its remote vision system. The Air Force is also modifying its boom to address a long-standing deficiency impacting its ability to top-up slow-flying aircraft like the A-10. Budget documents say fixes will be installed starting in fiscal 2028.
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So the USAF plans to increase the KC-46 fleet size? Wonder how many they will purchase in that case? Considering that the Pegasus still has those issues that need to be fixed what ever they are.
 
Possibly Israel as well? That chart only shows the original order for 4, and there was reporting last year that they were going +2 on their original order, perhaps that +2 expanded even further after their Iran operations in 2025 and 2026?
 
HaveVoid said:
Possibly Israel as well? That chart only shows the original order for 4, and there was reporting last year that they were going +2 on their original order, perhaps that +2 expanded even further after their Iran operations in 2025 and 2026?
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Here's the full chart. USAF's firm orders are accounted for (169). Israel and Japan's orders are accounted for as well. Israel has only been approved for 4 more aircraft, while Japan has been approved for 9 more. This could be Japan, or a combination of Israel and Japan, but I'm not sure why they would be keeping the customer(s) a secret.

1777539251420.png
 
Well Italy was looking for 6 new tankers to be ordered in 2026 …

Edit : it's probably India
They ordered 6 KC767 in January 2026
 
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Titus K said:
Well Italy was looking for 6 new tankers to be ordered in 2026 …

Edit : it's probably India
They ordered 6 KC767 in January 2026
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Whoa - really? Can you provide some links on that? I am coming up empty on searches, and I thought India was going for converted 767 tankers as part of an HAL-IAI partnership.
 
HaveVoid said:
Whoa - really? Can you provide some links on that? I am coming up empty on searches, and I thought India was going for converted 767 tankers as part of an HAL-IAI partnership.
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Not the craziest suggestion, India did at one point consider KC-46s including leasing arrangements. Could see the converted option being difficult given decent 767 are becoming harder to source.
 
Note that the official customer isn't "the US" it's the "USAF Tanker Program". The mystery customer could be another US agency or service branch that needs an organic refueling capacity rather than go through the Air Force.
 
JS23 said:
Note that the official customer isn't "the US" it's the "USAF Tanker Program". The mystery customer could be another US agency or service branch that needs an organic refueling capacity rather than go through the Air Force.
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For the line of interest, 6 new aircraft, it isn't US or USAF Tanker Program it is just Unidentified Customer. That could be any customer, but likely not Japan or Israel, and it could also be a placeholder for Italy although the Italian competition requirement set didn't read well to a KC-46 acquisition. No indication whether it is a DCS or FMS either although an FMS would seem more likely.
 
Ozair said:
For the line of interest, 6 new aircraft, it isn't US or USAF Tanker Program it is just Unidentified Customer. That could be any customer, but likely not Japan or Israel, and it could also be a placeholder for Italy although the Italian competition requirement set didn't read well to a KC-46 acquisition. No indication whether it is a DCS or FMS either although an FMS would seem more likely.
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Yes, what I meant was, the conversation seemed to be “well if it’s not the US, Israel, or Japan, what country is ordering it?”, and I wanted to point out that the mystery customer for the other 6 aircraft could still be the US, just for a different (potentially confidential) program, like USSOCOM.
 
JS23 said:
Yes, what I meant was, the conversation seemed to be “well if it’s not the US, Israel, or Japan, what country is ordering it?”, and I wanted to point out that the mystery customer for the other 6 aircraft could still be the US, just for a different (potentially confidential) program, like USSOCOM.
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I get what you're saying now but that seems highly unlikely. No other US Service operated the KC-10 or the KC-135. Other services do operate the KC-130J but there would be no reason to not disclose a US Military or even Govt customer buying the airframes. The CIA or SOCOM etc buying a KC-46 would seem unnecessary given both use USAF refuelling and transport assets as required already.
 

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