The US Air Force has awarded Boeing a $2.3bn contract for the ninth production lot of 15 KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft, expanding its fleet of the multi-mission aerial refueler.

To date, 128 KC-46A Pegasus are on contract with the US Air Force, with 68 delivered and operationally deployed worldwide.

“The combat-ready KC-46A is transforming the role of the tanker for the 21st century,” said James Burgess, vice president and KC-46 programme manager. “We’re proud to work side-by-side with the Air Force ensuring the Pegasus provides unmatched capabilities and continues to evolve for the U.S. and its allies’ global mission needs.”

The KC-46A Pegasus delivers crucial fuel and data for the fleet, as well as cargo, personnel and aeromedical transportation for joint force rapid mobility, global reach and agile combat employment.

Last year, the US Air Force Air Mobility Command approved the KC-46A for global operations including combat deployment. The Pegasus continues to demonstrate its agile combat employment capabilities, recently completing a 42-hour endurance flight supporting a US Air Force Bomber Task Force mission in the Indo-Pacific region.

During 2022, KC-46A aircraft operating in a series of US Air Force global employment exercises in the European theatre, Indo-Pacific region and the Middle East performed at a greater than 95% mission capable rate, demonstrating the aircraft’s reliability and combat readiness.

Boeing builds KC-46A aircraft on the 767 production line in Everett, Washington, supported by a supplier network of about 37,000 American workers employed by more than 650 businesses throughout more than 40 US states.

With Boeing’s in-line production, the KC-46A is designed and built as a tanker from day one — not a post-production conversion — making the Pegasus suited to integrate advanced technology for fleet data connectivity and combat-ready defensive features, as well as new capabilities as the needs of the mission evolve.

Boeing is on contract for 138 KC-46A Pegasus tankers globally. Boeing has delivered two of six KC-46A tankers to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, and is on contract for four KC-46A tankers for the Israel Air Force. The expanding global fleet creates commonality and interoperability efficiencies and mission-readiness advantages for the US Air Force and allies.

www.boeing.com