More Expensive KC-46A

According to the parliamentary control of government agencies (GAO), an estimate of the first phase of the purchase of refueling aircraft for the USAF, Boeing KC-46A, is exceeded, delays may occur.


In February, the Pentagon announced last year, Boeing won a tender for refueling aircraft for the U.S. Air Force (see Boeing Yet! ). It was assumed then that the company completed development phase and will provide the first 18 series machines until 2017. The positive results of this phase will be the ticket to obtain further orders for 161 aircraft.

The cost of this initial contract is set at $ 3.9 billion, but assumes the possibility of increasing the amount to 4.9 billion. Of this additional amount, 60% had to cover the recipient, 40% - the manufacturer. But soon it became clear that, and this limit is exceeded. Some unofficial reports indicated that the estimates will reach $ 5.2 billion.

According to the latest analysis of the GAO, relying on the Boeing and the Pentagon, now is already amount to $ 5.3 billion. This means that the Department of Defense will have to pay U.S. $ 500-600 million, and Boeing even $ 900 million.


Graphic showing the USAF plans, on the exchange's aging fleet of KC-135. It is clear that the purchase of 179 KC-46A will only partially replace the 50-year-old aircraft. Completion of this process will require the purchase of new machines, but after 2030 the passenger Boeing 767 platform, now no longer produced, and as a basis for the KC-46A, also will be obsolete.


GAO experts also point to the risk of delays due to the use of the KC-46A many yet unproven solutions. Although emphasized that the degree of risk for a program, it is definitely less than if you purchase a completely new system, due to the application of proven platforms.

The agency report, there was also interesting to compare the KC-46A is currently sourced from the KC-135. It indicates that the USAF will receive a much more modern construction.


While both aircraft carry almost the same number of fuel (more than 90 t), the vast majority of the KC-135 is equipped only with a central, rigid boom, and only 20 copies were adapted for trays with cables podskrzydłowymi. At the same time and so can not use both methods in one flight. His successor will have the possibility.

Although older machines have a greater capacity in the transport scenario, it is the KC-46A will be able to take up to three times the standard pallet (18), and 53 did not carry 114 passengers or 58 instead of 44 wounded. There will also be designed to operate in civil airspace, while part of the KC-135 requires significant upgrading to meet the requirements of the U.S. aviation authorities and other countries.


Boeing's new aircraft will have a full opportunity to transfer data, the coded, which will become part sieciocentrycznego battlefield. Will also receive a full set of self-defense systems, breaking in these areas on the head of old machinery refueling. Fuel system operator will be able to watch the space of 185 °, using a set of cameras. His counterpart in the KC-135 can only count to 49 °, obtained from the optical device. Finally, all the KC-46A refueling probe to get the fly. The entire fleet of KC-135 capability that has only eight copies of modernized.