US Air Force expends refuelling capabilities with purchase of 75 more KC-46 aircraft
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At the Royal International Air Tattoo, which took place from 18 to 20 July 2025, U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff, General David Allvin stated that the United States Air Force had officially approved a plan to acquire up to 75 additional KC-46A Pegasus aerial refuelling aircraft from Boeing. This decision reflects a strategic realignment in the service’s aerial refuelling roadmap. Rather than launching a new competition involving different contenders, the Air Force opted to extend the current KC-46 programme, ensuring fleet continuity and cost containment amid persistent technical challenges.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Boeing KC-46A Pegasus is a modern aerial refuelling and airlift aircraft designed to support both refuelling and aeromedical evacuation missions (Picture source: US DoD)
This acquisition, now part of the KC-46A Production Extension Programme, aims to serve as a bridge solution as the service continues to phase out the ageing KC-135 Stratotanker fleet. The decision was driven by budgetary pressures and the strategic imperative to maintain uninterrupted production capability while refining the operational requirements for the Next Generation Air-Refuelling System (NGAS).
The Boeing KC-46A Pegasus is a modern aerial refuelling and airlift aircraft. Commissioned in 2019, it is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW4062 high-bypass turbofan engines delivering a combined 124,000 pounds (557.9 kilonewtons) of thrust. The KC-46A boasts a maximum take-off weight of 188.24 tonnes and a fuel capacity of 96.30 tonnes. With a wingspan of 47.5 metres and a length of 48.5 metres, it is capable of transporting up to 29.48 tonnes of cargo or 58 passengers across 18 pallet positions. Designed to support both refuelling and aeromedical evacuation missions, the aircraft includes 15 permanent crew seats and can accommodate an additional medical team consisting of two flight nurses and three medical technicians.
The KC-46 was cleared for worldwide deployments in September 2022 and was operationally deployed for the first time to the Middle East in October 2024. The KC-46s was also used to refuel aircraft, such as the B2s, during the Operation Midnight Hammer airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities in June 2025.
The original KC-46 programme, which covers a total of 188 aircraft – following an extension from the initial 179 aircraft – contract, is nearing completion. The new acquisition will commence after the delivery of the final aircraft under the current agreement, expected around the end of the decade.
The Air Force’s broader tanker strategy now consists of three key pillars: sustainment through KC-46 acquisition, scaled-down ambitions for an interim modified commercial tanker fleet, and long-term development of the NGAS. With just $13 million earmarked for NGAS development in the FY2026 budget, and priority given to the sixth-generation F-47 fighter programme, the Air Force is shifting focus towards enhancing survivability and operational resilience in current platforms while preparing for a next-generation family of systems.
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At the Royal International Air Tattoo, which took place from 18 to 20 July 2025, U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff, General David Allvin stated that the United States Air Force had officially approved a plan to acquire up to 75 additional KC-46A Pegasus aerial refuelling aircraft from Boeing. This decision reflects a strategic realignment in the service’s aerial refuelling roadmap. Rather than launching a new competition involving different contenders, the Air Force opted to extend the current KC-46 programme, ensuring fleet continuity and cost containment amid persistent technical challenges.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Boeing KC-46A Pegasus is a modern aerial refuelling and airlift aircraft designed to support both refuelling and aeromedical evacuation missions (Picture source: US DoD)
This acquisition, now part of the KC-46A Production Extension Programme, aims to serve as a bridge solution as the service continues to phase out the ageing KC-135 Stratotanker fleet. The decision was driven by budgetary pressures and the strategic imperative to maintain uninterrupted production capability while refining the operational requirements for the Next Generation Air-Refuelling System (NGAS).
The Boeing KC-46A Pegasus is a modern aerial refuelling and airlift aircraft. Commissioned in 2019, it is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW4062 high-bypass turbofan engines delivering a combined 124,000 pounds (557.9 kilonewtons) of thrust. The KC-46A boasts a maximum take-off weight of 188.24 tonnes and a fuel capacity of 96.30 tonnes. With a wingspan of 47.5 metres and a length of 48.5 metres, it is capable of transporting up to 29.48 tonnes of cargo or 58 passengers across 18 pallet positions. Designed to support both refuelling and aeromedical evacuation missions, the aircraft includes 15 permanent crew seats and can accommodate an additional medical team consisting of two flight nurses and three medical technicians.
The KC-46 was cleared for worldwide deployments in September 2022 and was operationally deployed for the first time to the Middle East in October 2024. The KC-46s was also used to refuel aircraft, such as the B2s, during the Operation Midnight Hammer airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities in June 2025.
The original KC-46 programme, which covers a total of 188 aircraft – following an extension from the initial 179 aircraft – contract, is nearing completion. The new acquisition will commence after the delivery of the final aircraft under the current agreement, expected around the end of the decade.
The Air Force’s broader tanker strategy now consists of three key pillars: sustainment through KC-46 acquisition, scaled-down ambitions for an interim modified commercial tanker fleet, and long-term development of the NGAS. With just $13 million earmarked for NGAS development in the FY2026 budget, and priority given to the sixth-generation F-47 fighter programme, the Air Force is shifting focus towards enhancing survivability and operational resilience in current platforms while preparing for a next-generation family of systems.
