Boeing Now Has 138 Aircraft on Order Globally
The US Air Force has ordered the ninth production lot of KC-46A Pegasus tankers from Boeing under a $2.3 billion contract. To date 68 aircraft have been delivered worldwide. The USAF currently expects to order a total of 179 KC-46As by 2027.
“The combat-ready KC-46A is transforming the role of the tanker for the 21st century,” said James Burgess, VP and KC-46 Program Manager. The 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, USAF Air Mobility Command approved the KC-46A for global operations, including combat deployment – an aircraft recently completed a 42-hour endurance flight supporting a Bomber Task Force mission in the Indo-Pacific region. During 2022, KC-46A aircraft operating in a series of USAF global employment exercises in Europe, the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East, performed at a 95%+ mission capable rate, demonstrating the aircraft’s reliability and combat readiness.
Boeing is on contract for 138 KC-46A Pegasus tankers globally: the company 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 Israeli Air Force.
