Boeing has been awarded a $2.8 billion contract for the acquisition of low-rate initial production (LRIP) of KC-46 tanker aircraft Lots 1 and 2 for the US Air Force.
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The KC-46A Pegasus tanker can refuel all United States, allied and coalition military aircraft.
The award consists of two production lots of five and 12 aircraft, along with spare parts.
The Air Force anticipates buying 179 tankers to replace KC-135 aerial refuelers last produced in the mid-1960s.
“It’s an important day for the company and programme”. Those tests included refueling flights with General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender, Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, and Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft and a cargo handling demo.
The Air Force recently had its Milestone C decision approved, allowing the contract to be awarded.
The tanker uses a boom to refuel Air Force planes and hoses that extend from the wings and center body to refuel Navy, Marine Corps and allied aircraft.
McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita is a finalist to serve as one of the home bases of the U.S. Air Force’s new tanker.
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Work on assembling KC-46 aircraft will be carried out by Boeing at its Everett facility in Washington, US, with deliveries set to begin in 2017. As part of that contract Boeing built four test aircraft – two configured as 767-2Cs and two as KC-46A tankers – which have completed more than 1,000 flight hours to date.
