Boeing restarts deliveries of KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft to the US Air Force after three-month halt
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As reported by Doha on May 17, 2025, after a nearly three-month suspension, the delivery of KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft by Boeing to the United States Air Force resumed on May 17, 2025. Boeing confirmed the event with a double delivery to Travis Air Force Base, bringing the number of KC-46As at that location to 11 and the overall U.S. fleet to 91. The interruption had been caused by the discovery of cracks in control surface components in early 2025, prompting an inspection and resolution period.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Operationally, the KC-46A Pegasus is now in service at six U.S. Air Force main operating bases and has conducted global missions, including a 45-hour nonstop circumnavigation as part of Project Magellan in 2024. (Picture source: Boeing)
Boeing stated the issue affected a limited number of parts and was resolved without posing a flight safety risk. These latest aircraft are the 10th and 11th tankers assigned to Travis AFB, and this delivery brings the total number of KC-46A aircraft delivered to the U.S. Air Force to 91 out of the 179 planned under the KC-X program. The aircraft are intended to support global refueling, cargo, and aeromedical evacuation missions.
The KC-46A Pegasus program traces its origins to earlier efforts in the early 2000s to replace aging KC-135 tankers with modified Boeing 767 airframes. Initially awarded to Boeing in 2002 as a lease agreement for 100 aircraft, the deal collapsed in 2004 after procurement scandals and political backlash involving senior defense officials and Boeing executives. A subsequent competition resulted in the temporary selection of the Northrop Grumman-EADS KC-45, but that award was overturned following a protest lodged by Boeing and upheld by the Government Accountability Office. Boeing ultimately secured the contract in 2011 under a fixed-price agreement to deliver 179 KC-46 aircraft, marking the start of one of the most significant and closely watched U.S. Air Force procurement programs of the past two decades. This award launched a development and production cycle that would see numerous delays and technical issues over the following years.
The KC-X program was launched by the USAF to replace the KC-135 Stratotanker fleet, which had been in service since the 1950s. Boeing proposed a tanker based on the 767-200LRF, ultimately winning the competition after a complex and contentious bidding process that included Northrop Grumman and EADS offering the Airbus A330 MRTT. The KC-46A was designated as the first increment of the broader tanker recapitalization strategy, to be followed by KC-Y and KC-Z programs. The USAF’s original goal is to procure 179 KC-46As to replace about half of the KC-135 fleet, with the remainder to be addressed in future phases. The selection of the KC-46A over the Airbus A330 MRTT in the KC-X competition hinged on lifecycle cost estimates, airfield compatibility, domestic production advantages, and platform integration within U.S. infrastructure. Observers also speculated that Boeing’s proposal would be more suitable for the bridge tanker role under the KC-Y concept due to reduced risk.
Operationally, the KC-46A is now in service at six U.S. Air Force main operating bases and has conducted global missions, including a 45-hour nonstop circumnavigation as part of Project Magellan in 2024. The aircraft has flown hundreds of sorties and offloaded more than five million pounds of fuel monthly to a wide range of receivers. As of May 2025, Boeing had delivered 91 aircraft to the U.S. Air Force out of a total of 124 currently under contract, with full production planned to reach 179 units. International operators include Japan, which has received four aircraft and ordered two more, with a potential approval for up to nine additional units by the U.S. State Department in 2024. Israel signed a deal for four KC-46As with delivery expected in 2025, and a potential total order of eight aircraft. Italy had initially planned to acquire six KC-46As under a contract valued at approximately €1.12 billion but canceled the procurement in 2024 due to changing strategic priorities. Other countries such as India and Indonesia have evaluated the platform for potential acquisition, though no firm contracts have been finalized.
The KC-46A Pegasus program traces its origins to earlier efforts in the early 2000s to replace aging KC-135 tankers with modified Boeing 767 airframes. (Picture source: Boeing)
The KC-46A is built on the Boeing 767-200ER airframe but incorporates components from multiple 767 variants. These include the wing and landing gear from the 767-300F, the cargo floor and door systems from freighter configurations, and the digital flight deck and flaps from the 767-400ER. The resulting airframe, known as the 767-2C, is the baseline aircraft for modification into the KC-46A. This modular design approach allowed Boeing to leverage existing components to streamline production and certification while facilitating structural modifications for military refueling, cargo, and medical missions. The program benefits from economies of scale through Boeing’s commercial production line and shared parts across several 767 variants.
The KC-46 designation originally referred to the baseline tanker platform derived from the 767-2C airframe, which was developed to meet the engineering and manufacturing development requirements under the KC-X contract. The KC-46A designation refers to the fully equipped operational version, featuring aerial refueling hardware, defensive systems, and mission avionics. The A variant includes a refueling boom with fly-by-wire control, wing-mounted hose and drogue pods, centerline drogue system, and mission-specific modifications such as cockpit armor, electromagnetic pulse hardening, chemical and biological protection, and electronic countermeasures. While the 767-2C can be flown independently, only the KC-46A is used in operational service and is subject to rigorous USAF and FAA certifications.
The design of the KC-46A includes a crew compartment with 15 seats, three bunks, a galley, lavatory, and a rear compartment for boom operators located just behind the flight deck. The aircraft is fitted with two Pratt & Whitney PW4062 turbofan engines, each producing 62,000 pounds of thrust and enabling takeoff at gross weights of up to 188,240 kilograms. The cockpit features Boeing 787-style 15-inch LCD displays and conventional hydraulic flight controls. Manual flight control systems ensure unrestricted maneuverability across its flight envelope, including in contested environments. The crew can operate with as few as three members: two pilots and one boom operator, though additional personnel are typically on board for extended missions or aeromedical evacuations. The number of extra personnel varies depending on mission requirements, with aeromedical crews often including up to five medical specialists for patient care, and extended global operations involving additional maintenance, communications, and mission support staff, potentially bringing the total crew complement to more than 10 individuals.
The refueling system includes both boom and hose-and-drogue methods, allowing compatibility with U.S., allied, and coalition aircraft. The boom provides a refueling rate of 1,200 gallons (4,542 liters) per minute, while the drogue systems operate at 400 gallons (1,514 liters) per minute. The boom is operated remotely via the Remote Vision System (RVS), a set of multispectral stereoscopic cameras and high-resolution displays. The RVS enables refueling in blackout conditions with both aircraft lights off. However, the original RVS has experienced problems such as depth perception distortion and lighting-related glare, leading to a major redesign known as RVS 2.0. Initially expected in 2023, then delayed to 2025, the fielding of RVS 2.0 has now been postponed until at least mid-2027. Despite these challenges, the aircraft has been cleared for all global missions except A-10 and E-7 refueling.
The Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft is fitted with two Pratt & Whitney PW4062 turbofan engines, each producing 62,000 pounds of thrust and enabling takeoff at gross weights of up to 188,240 kilograms. (Picture source: US Air Force)
The KC-46A’s cargo and medical configurations are based on the standard 463L pallet system. It can carry up to 18 pallets or 65,000 pounds (29,484 kilograms) of cargo, and can be converted between cargo, passenger, and aeromedical evacuation roles in under two hours. In medical configuration, the aircraft can accommodate 58 patients, including 24 litter-bound and 34 ambulatory, supported by a medical crew of five. The passenger configuration supports 58 personnel under normal operations or up to 114 in contingency operations. The aircraft includes a retractable ladder for rapid ground access, a cargo handling roller system compatible with all U.S. Air Force loaders, and emergency power and oxygen systems for medevac support.
The program has been marked by persistent delays and rising costs. As of 2025, Boeing has absorbed more than $7 billion in cost overruns due to issues including wiring noncompliance, fuel system defects, stiff boom problems affecting lightweight aircraft like the A-10, and deficiencies in the Remote Vision System. The Air Force initially capped development costs at $4.9 billion under a fixed-price contract, placing financial responsibility for overruns on Boeing. The Government Accountability Office has estimated the unit cost per aircraft at approximately $287 million, though Boeing claims reduced life-cycle and operational costs compared to the older KC-135. These issues led to halts in aircraft deliveries, including the most recent pause between February and May 2025 due to cracked control surface components.
The KC-46A has a maximum takeoff weight of 188,240 kilograms and a fuel capacity of 96,297 kilograms. It can transfer up to 94,198 kilograms of fuel per mission using either its fly-by-wire boom or drogue systems. The aircraft measures 50.5 meters in length, has a wingspan of 48.1 meters, and a height of 15.9 meters. It is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW4062 engines, each producing 62,000 pounds (276 kilonewtons) of thrust. Its maximum airspeed is approximately 1,046 kilometers per hour (Mach 0.86), and it cruises at 851 kilometers per hour. The aircraft has a service ceiling of 12,200 meters and an operational range of 11,830 kilometers without aerial refueling, but in 2024, a KC-46 managed to fly for a consecutive 45 hours without landing, only refueling in midair. Its standard cargo capacity is 29,000 kilograms across 18 463L pallets, and it is fully compatible with U.S. strategic airlift and refueling operations.
The KC-46A’s cargo and medical configurations are based on the standard 463L pallet system, meaning that it can carry up to 18 pallets or 65,000 pounds (29,484 kilograms) of cargo, and can be converted between cargo, passenger, and aeromedical evacuation roles in under two hours. (Picture source: Boeing)
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As reported by Doha on May 17, 2025, after a nearly three-month suspension, the delivery of KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft by Boeing to the United States Air Force resumed on May 17, 2025. Boeing confirmed the event with a double delivery to Travis Air Force Base, bringing the number of KC-46As at that location to 11 and the overall U.S. fleet to 91. The interruption had been caused by the discovery of cracks in control surface components in early 2025, prompting an inspection and resolution period.
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Operationally, the KC-46A Pegasus is now in service at six U.S. Air Force main operating bases and has conducted global missions, including a 45-hour nonstop circumnavigation as part of Project Magellan in 2024. (Picture source: Boeing)
Boeing stated the issue affected a limited number of parts and was resolved without posing a flight safety risk. These latest aircraft are the 10th and 11th tankers assigned to Travis AFB, and this delivery brings the total number of KC-46A aircraft delivered to the U.S. Air Force to 91 out of the 179 planned under the KC-X program. The aircraft are intended to support global refueling, cargo, and aeromedical evacuation missions.
The KC-46A Pegasus program traces its origins to earlier efforts in the early 2000s to replace aging KC-135 tankers with modified Boeing 767 airframes. Initially awarded to Boeing in 2002 as a lease agreement for 100 aircraft, the deal collapsed in 2004 after procurement scandals and political backlash involving senior defense officials and Boeing executives. A subsequent competition resulted in the temporary selection of the Northrop Grumman-EADS KC-45, but that award was overturned following a protest lodged by Boeing and upheld by the Government Accountability Office. Boeing ultimately secured the contract in 2011 under a fixed-price agreement to deliver 179 KC-46 aircraft, marking the start of one of the most significant and closely watched U.S. Air Force procurement programs of the past two decades. This award launched a development and production cycle that would see numerous delays and technical issues over the following years.
The KC-X program was launched by the USAF to replace the KC-135 Stratotanker fleet, which had been in service since the 1950s. Boeing proposed a tanker based on the 767-200LRF, ultimately winning the competition after a complex and contentious bidding process that included Northrop Grumman and EADS offering the Airbus A330 MRTT. The KC-46A was designated as the first increment of the broader tanker recapitalization strategy, to be followed by KC-Y and KC-Z programs. The USAF’s original goal is to procure 179 KC-46As to replace about half of the KC-135 fleet, with the remainder to be addressed in future phases. The selection of the KC-46A over the Airbus A330 MRTT in the KC-X competition hinged on lifecycle cost estimates, airfield compatibility, domestic production advantages, and platform integration within U.S. infrastructure. Observers also speculated that Boeing’s proposal would be more suitable for the bridge tanker role under the KC-Y concept due to reduced risk.
Operationally, the KC-46A is now in service at six U.S. Air Force main operating bases and has conducted global missions, including a 45-hour nonstop circumnavigation as part of Project Magellan in 2024. The aircraft has flown hundreds of sorties and offloaded more than five million pounds of fuel monthly to a wide range of receivers. As of May 2025, Boeing had delivered 91 aircraft to the U.S. Air Force out of a total of 124 currently under contract, with full production planned to reach 179 units. International operators include Japan, which has received four aircraft and ordered two more, with a potential approval for up to nine additional units by the U.S. State Department in 2024. Israel signed a deal for four KC-46As with delivery expected in 2025, and a potential total order of eight aircraft. Italy had initially planned to acquire six KC-46As under a contract valued at approximately €1.12 billion but canceled the procurement in 2024 due to changing strategic priorities. Other countries such as India and Indonesia have evaluated the platform for potential acquisition, though no firm contracts have been finalized.
The KC-46A Pegasus program traces its origins to earlier efforts in the early 2000s to replace aging KC-135 tankers with modified Boeing 767 airframes. (Picture source: Boeing)
The KC-46A is built on the Boeing 767-200ER airframe but incorporates components from multiple 767 variants. These include the wing and landing gear from the 767-300F, the cargo floor and door systems from freighter configurations, and the digital flight deck and flaps from the 767-400ER. The resulting airframe, known as the 767-2C, is the baseline aircraft for modification into the KC-46A. This modular design approach allowed Boeing to leverage existing components to streamline production and certification while facilitating structural modifications for military refueling, cargo, and medical missions. The program benefits from economies of scale through Boeing’s commercial production line and shared parts across several 767 variants.
The KC-46 designation originally referred to the baseline tanker platform derived from the 767-2C airframe, which was developed to meet the engineering and manufacturing development requirements under the KC-X contract. The KC-46A designation refers to the fully equipped operational version, featuring aerial refueling hardware, defensive systems, and mission avionics. The A variant includes a refueling boom with fly-by-wire control, wing-mounted hose and drogue pods, centerline drogue system, and mission-specific modifications such as cockpit armor, electromagnetic pulse hardening, chemical and biological protection, and electronic countermeasures. While the 767-2C can be flown independently, only the KC-46A is used in operational service and is subject to rigorous USAF and FAA certifications.
The design of the KC-46A includes a crew compartment with 15 seats, three bunks, a galley, lavatory, and a rear compartment for boom operators located just behind the flight deck. The aircraft is fitted with two Pratt & Whitney PW4062 turbofan engines, each producing 62,000 pounds of thrust and enabling takeoff at gross weights of up to 188,240 kilograms. The cockpit features Boeing 787-style 15-inch LCD displays and conventional hydraulic flight controls. Manual flight control systems ensure unrestricted maneuverability across its flight envelope, including in contested environments. The crew can operate with as few as three members: two pilots and one boom operator, though additional personnel are typically on board for extended missions or aeromedical evacuations. The number of extra personnel varies depending on mission requirements, with aeromedical crews often including up to five medical specialists for patient care, and extended global operations involving additional maintenance, communications, and mission support staff, potentially bringing the total crew complement to more than 10 individuals.
The refueling system includes both boom and hose-and-drogue methods, allowing compatibility with U.S., allied, and coalition aircraft. The boom provides a refueling rate of 1,200 gallons (4,542 liters) per minute, while the drogue systems operate at 400 gallons (1,514 liters) per minute. The boom is operated remotely via the Remote Vision System (RVS), a set of multispectral stereoscopic cameras and high-resolution displays. The RVS enables refueling in blackout conditions with both aircraft lights off. However, the original RVS has experienced problems such as depth perception distortion and lighting-related glare, leading to a major redesign known as RVS 2.0. Initially expected in 2023, then delayed to 2025, the fielding of RVS 2.0 has now been postponed until at least mid-2027. Despite these challenges, the aircraft has been cleared for all global missions except A-10 and E-7 refueling.
The Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft is fitted with two Pratt & Whitney PW4062 turbofan engines, each producing 62,000 pounds of thrust and enabling takeoff at gross weights of up to 188,240 kilograms. (Picture source: US Air Force)
The KC-46A’s cargo and medical configurations are based on the standard 463L pallet system. It can carry up to 18 pallets or 65,000 pounds (29,484 kilograms) of cargo, and can be converted between cargo, passenger, and aeromedical evacuation roles in under two hours. In medical configuration, the aircraft can accommodate 58 patients, including 24 litter-bound and 34 ambulatory, supported by a medical crew of five. The passenger configuration supports 58 personnel under normal operations or up to 114 in contingency operations. The aircraft includes a retractable ladder for rapid ground access, a cargo handling roller system compatible with all U.S. Air Force loaders, and emergency power and oxygen systems for medevac support.
The program has been marked by persistent delays and rising costs. As of 2025, Boeing has absorbed more than $7 billion in cost overruns due to issues including wiring noncompliance, fuel system defects, stiff boom problems affecting lightweight aircraft like the A-10, and deficiencies in the Remote Vision System. The Air Force initially capped development costs at $4.9 billion under a fixed-price contract, placing financial responsibility for overruns on Boeing. The Government Accountability Office has estimated the unit cost per aircraft at approximately $287 million, though Boeing claims reduced life-cycle and operational costs compared to the older KC-135. These issues led to halts in aircraft deliveries, including the most recent pause between February and May 2025 due to cracked control surface components.
The KC-46A has a maximum takeoff weight of 188,240 kilograms and a fuel capacity of 96,297 kilograms. It can transfer up to 94,198 kilograms of fuel per mission using either its fly-by-wire boom or drogue systems. The aircraft measures 50.5 meters in length, has a wingspan of 48.1 meters, and a height of 15.9 meters. It is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW4062 engines, each producing 62,000 pounds (276 kilonewtons) of thrust. Its maximum airspeed is approximately 1,046 kilometers per hour (Mach 0.86), and it cruises at 851 kilometers per hour. The aircraft has a service ceiling of 12,200 meters and an operational range of 11,830 kilometers without aerial refueling, but in 2024, a KC-46 managed to fly for a consecutive 45 hours without landing, only refueling in midair. Its standard cargo capacity is 29,000 kilograms across 18 463L pallets, and it is fully compatible with U.S. strategic airlift and refueling operations.
The KC-46A’s cargo and medical configurations are based on the standard 463L pallet system, meaning that it can carry up to 18 pallets or 65,000 pounds (29,484 kilograms) of cargo, and can be converted between cargo, passenger, and aeromedical evacuation roles in under two hours. (Picture source: Boeing)
