Refueling tanker completes testing requirements

Boeing and Air Force personnel said the KC-46 refueling tanker program completed all flight testing required for first delivery represents a major milestone.

Mike Gibbons, Boeing KC-46A tanker vice president and program manager, said the program completion reflects a significant achievement for the Boeing-Air Force team. The first delivery is expected in October.

Boeing officials said the KC-46 unit recently concluded both its Military Type Certification testing and receiver certification testing with KC-135, F-16 and C-17 aircraft, noting the effort involved KC-46 and receiver aircraft flying at different airspeeds, altitudes, and configurations to ensure compatibility and performance throughout the refueling envelope of each receiver.

“Our main focus now is obtaining the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the Federal Aviation Administration as well as the formal Military Type Certification (MTC) from the U.S. Air Force,” Gibbons said.

The KC-46’s role would be to refuel U.S., allied, and coalition military aircraft using its boom, hose, and drogue systems while also taking on fuel to extend its operational range.

The KC-46’s boom allows the tanker to transfer up to 1,200 gallons of fuel per minute, officials said, while the hose and drogue systems, located on both the plane’s wing and centerline, enables the tanker to refuel smaller aircraft with up to 400 gallons of fuel per minute.