Fighter Sweep
  • Home
  • Military Aviation
  • Air Force
  • Navy
  • Spec Ops
  • Expert Analysis
  • Careers
  • Photos
Home Previous Post Next Post
Follow @fightersweep

KC-46A Tanker Completes Flight Tests; Boeing’s Costs Soar

July 22, 2016
FighterSweep Staff No Comments News

Boeing’s KC-46A has officially completed all flight tests needed ahead of a milestone decision this August while Boeing’s costs increased by almost $400 million.

On July 15, a KC-46A tanker successfully refueled an A-10 Warthog completing all flight tests for the new tanker. This final step allows for the Department of Defense to reach a Milestone C decision for low rate initial production.

“Today’s flight marks the final step we needed to see on the boom fix in order to request production go-ahead,” Brig. Gen. Duke Richardson, Air Force program executive officer for tankers, said in a statement. “Our joint team’s tireless efforts are paying off, preparing us for the next step of this critical need to our warfighter.”

The KC-46A has the ability to use a boom for refueling USAF aircraft and a drogue system for USN and USMC aircraft. The new tanker had run into problems with its refueling boom, particularly when it was trying to refuel larger aircraft such as the C-17 Globemaster.  This required Boeing to rework the boom in an effort to better control fuel flow when larger aircraft were hooked up.

While it appears that the boom problem has been solved, the unfortunate part of the rework is a three month delay in the Milestone C decision (June to now August) and an increase in cost.

The good news for the tax payer is Boeing signed a fixed price contract for the tanker. Any additional cost beyond the funded $4.9 billion development cost will be incurred by Boeing itself.

Boeing has already racked up $1.5 billion in cost overruns on the tanker.  This latest delay will cost the company an additional $393 million after-tax-charge. The total value of penalties on Boeing is now expected to be around  $1.9 billion.

You can read the full articles by Valeria Insinna here and here.

Top Photo: KC-46 refuels A-10 during Milestone C test.(Photo: John D. Parker, Chase Pilot)

Related Posts

  • KC-46 Tanker Hits Milestone C DecisionKC-46 Tanker Hits Milestone C Decision
  • Picture of the Day: A-10 Battle Damage the Story of Kim ‘Killer Chick’ CampbellPicture of the Day: A-10 Battle Damage the Story of Kim ‘Killer Chick’ Campbell
  • Watch: Boeing Shows Off KC-46A 3D Air to Air Refueling CapabilityWatch: Boeing Shows Off KC-46A 3D Air to Air Refueling Capability
  • Boeing’s T-X Trainer to Be Revealed Next MonthBoeing’s T-X Trainer to Be Revealed Next Month
  • KC-46A Making Progress with Refueling BoomKC-46A Making Progress with Refueling Boom

Find Us on Facebook

FighterSweep.com

Sign Up
for the Newsletter

What’s Hot

  • Whistling Death: How The Corsair Got Its Nickname
    August 30, 2019

    Whistling Death: How the Corsair got its nickname

  • F-14B_VF-32
    March 4, 2018

    Watch: Take 2 Minutes and Remember the Mighty F-14 Tomcat!

  • March 14, 2015

    There I Was: The X-Files Edition

Follow Us

Facebook Twitter Twitter

Recent Comments

  • pak152 " the team came up with what the Brits dubbed as Mustang, powered by a [...]
  • P K Polish AF never has and never will operate Su-27, An-26 aircraft has been out [...]
  • bnarfhyde The best book is also great. have a [...]
  • TerrorTrike ive never survived this long with such a clumsy FL- cG.866B.CO/NC6155hc
  • D4rksupeme yessss truck kunnnnnnnn i needddd you m.866E.CO/vC6155H

© Copyright 2023 SOFREP Media Group. All Rights Reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Advertisers