News

2021-09-01

KC-46A and P-8A Poseidon Achieve Milestone

In two separate interesting developments, a first Boeing KC-46A tanker built for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) recently refuelled another KC-46A aircraft in the skies over Washington state, while the first of five Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft for Norway performed its maiden flight. The Japan-bound tanker also successfully received fuel in return.

Japan is the KC-46 programme’s first non-U.S. customer and is scheduled to receive its maiden aircraft this year.

Jamie Burgess, KC-46 programme manager, explained: “Refuelling with the first Japan KC-46A is an important milestone for the Japan Air Self-Defence Force. KC-46A is the world’s most advanced air refuelling aircraft and has already transferred more than 42 million gallons of fuel to other aircraft globally through its boom and drogue systems.”

“The state-of-the-art refuelling makes the KC-46A a standout, but this tanker goes well beyond that,” stated Will Shaffer, president of Boeing Japan. “The ability to carry cargo and passengers while maintaining tactical situational awareness makes the aircraft a critical tool in the security alliance between the U.S. and Japan.”

The Japan KC-46A is capable of refuelling U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and JASDF aircraft.

The U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing a contract for the JASDF’s first KC-46A tanker in December 2017. The agreement was completed through the Foreign Military Sale process between the U.S. government and Japan. A second Japan tanker is also already in production.

Boeing is assembling the KC-46A aircraft for both the U.S. Air Force and Japan on its 767 production line in Everett, Washington. Boeing’s Japanese partners produce 16 per cent of the KC-46A airframe structure.

It was announced recently that the KC-46A Pegasus would add another line to its resume. Beyond aerial refuelling and the transportation of passengers, cargo and patients, the tanker’s next-generation capabilities soon would include bringing the Advanced Battle Management System, or ABMS, to war fighters at the tactical edge.

ABMS, a modernisation priority for the U.S. Air Force, is part of the Department of Defense’s Joint All Domain Command and Control effort to digitally connect all elements of the U.S. military in order to increase data sharing and accelerate decision-making.

Inaugural Flight

The P-8A Poseidon aircraft which performed its maiden flight on August 9 took off at 10:03 a.m. Pacific time and flew for two hours, 24 minutes, reaching a maximum altitude of 41,000 feet during the flight from Renton Municipal Airport to Boeing Field in Seattle.

The first flight marks the next phase of the production cycle of this aircraft as it is moved to the Installation and Checkout facility, where mission systems will be installed and additional testing will take place before final delivery to the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) later this year.

Christian Thomsen, P-8 Europe programme manager, elaborated: “This inaugural flight is an important milestone for Norway, and the Boeing team remains committed to delivering the P-8 fleet to the NDMA on schedule. The P-8 is a capability that will help Norway improve anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and search-and-rescue missions, in addition to fostering valuable regional collaboration and interoperability with NATO nations.”

The five P-8As will eventually replace Norway’s current fleet of six P-3 Orions and three DA-20 Jet Falcons. The Royal Norwegian Air Force currently operates its P-3s from Andoya Air Station. With the introduction of the P-8s, flight operations will move to new facilities at Evenes Air Station.

To date, Boeing has delivered 136 P-8 aircraft to the U.S. Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Indian Navy and the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force.

Norway is one of eight nations that have selected the P-8A as their maritime patrol aircraft, along with the United States, India, Australia, the United Kingdom, Korea, New Zealand and Germany. The first P-8A Poseidon aircraft for Norway rolled out of the paint shop in Renton, in Royal Norwegian Air Force livery, in July.

Recently, the air force revealed the names of its five P-8A Poseidon aircraft: Vingtor, Viking, Ulabrand, Hugin and Munin. The names are inspired by Norse mythology and continue a tradition of almost 80 years that started when the names Vingtor, Viking and Ulabrand were used on Norway’s PBY-5 Catalina maritime patrol aircraft in 1942.

Since then, other maritime patrol aircraft operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force have carried those names, including its current P-3 fleet, which will be replaced by the P-8.

‫

Comments () Views (8267 ) Print

Send To Friend