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Boeing Awarded $2.1B for Third KC-46A Tanker
Production Lot |
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January 27, 2017
– The U.S. Air Force today awarded Boeing $2.1
billion for 15 KC-46A tanker aircraft, spare
engines and wing air refueling pod kits.
This order is the third low-rate initial
production lot for Boeing. The first two came in
August 2016 and included seven and 12 planes,
respectively, as well as spare parts.
Boeing plans to build 179 of the 767-based
refueling aircraft for the Air Force to replace
its legacy tanker fleet. Tanker deliveries will
begin later this year.
“This award is great news for the joint
Boeing-Air Force team and reinforces the need
for this highly efficient and capable tanker
aircraft,” said Mike Gibbons, Boeing KC-46A
tanker vice president and program manager. |
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“Our
Boeing industry team is hard at work building
and testing KC-46 aircraft, and we look forward
to first delivery.”
"Placing an order for another 15 aircraft is
another important milestone for the KC-46
program," said Col. John Newberry, Air Force
KC-46 System program manager. "I know the
warfighter is excited about bringing this next
generation capability into the inventory."
Boeing received an initial contract in 2011 to
design and develop the Air Force’s
next-generation tanker aircraft. As part of that
contract, Boeing built four test aircraft – two
configured as 767-2Cs and two as KC-46A tankers.
Those test aircraft, along with the first
production plane, have completed nearly 1,500
flight hours to date.
The KC-46A is a multirole tanker that can refuel
all allied and coalition military aircraft
compatible with international aerial refueling
procedures and can carry passengers, cargo and
patients. Boeing is assembling KC-46 aircraft at
its Everett, Wash., facility. |
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