Boeing Defense, Space and Security, a unit of The Boeing Company, is assembling a third KC-46A test aircraft for the US Air Force’s next-generation aerial refueling tanker program. The assembly is taking place at the Everett factory with plans to complete a fourth test aircraft by the third quarter of 2014.
The KC-46A aircraft is based on the Boeing 767 commercial jetliner, which is a proven airframe that is already in service as an airliner, freighter and tanker. Boeing has delivered more than 1,050 of these aircrafts globally.
Maureen Dougherty, Boeing vice president and KC-46A tanker program manager, has stated, “In addition to the three KC-46A tankers now in production, our System Integration Labs are operational and we’re assembling a second boom. We remain on track to deliver the initial 18 KC-46A tankers by 2017.”
The first test aircraft is due to be completed in early 2014 with the first test flight of a fully provisioned KC-46A tanker estimated to take place in early 2015.