Boeing to Build 12 More KC-46A Tankers Under $1.7B Air Force Contract

Boeing has secured a $1.7B contract to build 12 additional KC-46A tanker aircraft for the Air Force.

The award marks the beginning of the assembly of new tankers under the sixth production lot and brings the total number of KC-46As requested by the Air Force to 79. 

Dubbed as the Pegasus, the KC-46A is a widebody, multirole tanker capable of refueling allied and coalition military aircraft compatible with international aerial refueling procedures, Boeing said. 

Among other things, the KC-46A comes with multiple layers of protection to detect, avoid, defeat and survive threats, allowing it to operate safely in medium-threat environments.

Since starting KC-46A deliveries in January 2019, Boeing has already delivered 42 tankers across four different Air Force bases.

Awards for the first two production lots, which called for 19 initial tankers, were awarded to Boeing in August 2016. A third lot was awarded in January 2017, bringing the total to 34. The Air Force requested 18 more tankers in September 2018 for the fourth production lot, followed by 15 more in September 2019.

According to a contract announcement published on Defense .gov, work for the sixth production lot, which will be performed in Boeing’s facility in Everett, Washington, is expected to be completed on April 30, 2023. 

The Boeing Everett Factory also serves as the production facility for Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s four KC-46 tankers. Initial production began in December 2017, with the first KC-46 scheduled to be delivered to Japan within the year.