The story of Boeing's problematic KC-46 Pegasus programme

Over budget and besieged with problems, Boeing’s KC-46 Pegasus continues to come under scrutiny. Tom Kaminski provides a timely update

On February 24, 2011, the United States Air Force (USAF) announced it had selected the Boeing Company’s NewGen Tanker as the winner of its troubled KC-X project and awarded the firm a US$3.5bn Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) contract. This included the manufacture of four developmental and 14 production airframes. Although offerings from Boeing and EADS North America both met the service’s 372 threshold requirements, the former’s acquisition price was around 10% less than EADS’s proposed Airbus A330 bid, while its life-cycle costs were also significantly lower.

1
On strength with the New Hampshire Air National Guard’s 157th Air Refuelling Wing out of Pease Air National Guard Base, KC-46A 16-46018 shows of the type’s evident 767 linage. Jim Haseltine

 

Become a Premium Member to Read More

This is a premium article and requires an active Key.Aero subscription to view.

I’m an existing member, sign me in!

I don’t have a subscription…

Enjoy the following subscriber only benefits:

  • Unlimited access to all KeyAero content
  • Exclusive in-depth articles and analysis, videos, quizzes added daily
  • A fully searchable archive – boasting hundreds of thousands of pieces of quality aviation content
  • Access to read all our leading aviation magazines online - meaning you can enjoy the likes of FlyPast, Aeroplane Monthly, AirForces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, Aviation News, Airports of the World, PC Pilot and Airliner World - as soon as they leave the editor’s desk.
  • Access on any device- anywhere, anytime
  • Choose from our offers below