Page 26 - Combat Aircraft (January 2020)

TYPE REPORT // BOEING KC-46

Defense (DoD) in January 2006 after aps and landing gear of the 767-300ERF. Above: A 77th
becoming mired in accusations of This was an untried combination that Air Refueling
Squadron
corruption. led some to start referring to the KC-46 KC-135R
A new KC-X program eventually resulted as the ‘Frankentanker’. In the end, this prepares to
in the selection of the rival Northrop combination of elements did not present tank a KC-46A
from the
Grumman/EADS KC-30 (A330 MRTT) major problems. 22nd ARW
on February 29, 2008. A Boeing protest Instead, it was a wiring redesign that from Pease
to the US Government Accountability delayed the rst 767-2C ight from June AFB, New
Hampshire.
O ce (GAO) resulted in an ‘expedited 2014 to November that year. That resulted USAF/SSgt
re-competition’. With key criteria redrawn, in a $272-million pre-tax charge to Boeing Mary McKnight
the KC-767 was nally chosen, kicking for the redesign of the tanker’s wiring,
the A330 MRTT to the curb with a USAF which had been found to have insu cient
program of record for 179 Boeing aircraft, separation or inadequate shielding.
designated the KC-46A Pegasus. Over the course of the KC-46 ight-test
Bearing the internal Boeing designation program, the aircraft completed 3,800
767-2C, the aircraft was based on the ying hours and transferred more than
767-200 freighter airframe, but featured an four billion pounds of fuel, according to
improved version of the KC-10 Extender’s Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg.
refueling boom and incorporated cockpit But ight-testing threw up more
displays from the 787, and the wings, problems and caused further delays.

A KC-46 undergoes electromagnetic
environment testing in the Benefi eld
Anechoic Facility at Edwards AFB.
USAF/Christopher Okula

This image:
Testing of the
wing aerial
refueling pods
(WARPs) with
a US Marine
Corps AV-8B
Harrier II. The
pods should
receive Federal
Aviation
Administration
(FAA)
certifi cation in
2020. Boeing/
John D. Parker

26 January 2020 // www.Key.Aero

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