USAF awards $2.38 billion contract to Boeing for supply of 15 modernised KC-46A tankers
Tanker represents new era in air-to-air refuelling
Boeing has won a $2.38 billion contract from the US Air Force (USAF) for 15 additional KC-46A Pegasus tankers, marking a crucial milestone in developing and expanding the US military’s aerial refuelling capabilities.
The addition of these 15 tankers ensures that the USAF will be well-equipped to meet the demands of modern warfare, where strategic mobility and readiness are key to maintaining operational advantage.
The contract brings the total number of KC-46A multi-mission refuelers under contract globally to 168, underscoring Boeing’s continued partnership with the USAF and US allies worldwide.
Lynn Fox, Vice President and KC-46 Programme Manager at Boeing, stated: “We appreciate our continued partnership with the USAF. This is another big milestone for our team, and we look forward to delivering the world’s most advanced multi-mission aerial refuelers for years to come.”
The KC-46A Pegasus has demonstrated advanced capabilities, flying over 100,000 flight hours and offloading more than 200 million kg of fuel to receivers worldwide. The tanker’s capabilities were further solidified in October 2024, when it completed its first full-scale operational deployment after being approved by the USAF Air Mobility Command for global combat operations in 2022.
Ongoing improvements
As part of ongoing improvements, the USAF awarded Boeing a contract in July 2024 to enhance the KC-46A’s mission readiness and performance. This upgrade builds upon the 2023 Block 1 enhancements, which focus on boosting the aircraft’s advanced communications, data connectivity, and situational awareness to ensure superior survivability and operational effectiveness in contested environments.
Since 2019, Boeing has delivered 89 KC-46A tankers to the USAF and four units to the Japan Air Self-Defence Force.
The KC-46A represents a new era in air-to-air refuelling, supporting the US and its international military partners. The aircraft, which has been developing since 2011, initially flew in December 2014. The latest contract is expected to provide the USAF’s Air Mobility Command with a fleet of 179 KC-46A tankers, marking a significant expansion of its refuelling capability.
The KC-46A’s technical specifications include a maximum takeoff weight of 188,240kg and a fuel capacity of 96,297kg. The aircraft has a wingspan of 47.5 metres and is 48.5 metres long. It can carry a maximum cargo of 29,484kg, or 58 passengers, and is equipped with 18 pallet positions for freight. The KC-46A’s crew includes 15 permanent aircrew seats, with provisions for additional medical staff when the aircraft is used for aeromedical evacuation missions.
The first KC-46A was delivered to McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas on January 25, 2019. The aircraft is undergoing operational testing and evaluation to reach its initial operating capability.
Hero image: A Boeing KC-46A Pegasus takes off at Yokota Air Base, Japan, on October 25, 2018, during a system evaluation. Credit: USAF
