Boeing has won a $2.1 billion contract to supply an additional 15 KC-46 Pegasus tankers to the United States Air Force (USAF). Last week, the USAF had already ordered another 12 tankers for US$ 1.7 billion.
So far, Boeing has already delivered 42 units of the new tanker that will replace the old KC-135 Stratotanker. However, the aircraft has been facing several problems and delays, causing losses of US$ 5 billion to the manufacturer.
“The replenisher has been an obstacle for us for three or four years in every way you can imagine with respect to investors. But we are starting to get over that hurdle with our customer as far as the performance of the aircraft in the fleet and then the need for that aircraft.”, said David Calhoun, Boeing's chief executive, on a third-quarter earnings call in October.
The USAF has already signed a contract to acquire 94 units of the aircraft. In addition to the US, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) acquired four tankers.
Boeing also hinted at the possibility that the USAF's fleet of KC-46s could be used as a communications platform in an advanced battlefield network. the aircraft will “help enable the integrated digital battlefield”, said the manufacturer.
"Like a cell phone tower in the skies, the KC-46 connects air forces with the data they need to maintain the decision advantage and win on the 21st century battlefield."
With Flightglobal
