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2015-02-01

KC46 MOBILITY GAMECHANGER

Aerial refueling tanker based on proven Boeing 767 commercial airplane

The KC-46 is a widebody, multi-role tanker that promises to revolutionise the air mobility mission. It can refuel all US, allied and coalition military aircraft compatible with international aerial refueling procedures, any time, on any mission, and can carry passengers, cargo and patients whenever and wherever needed.

The ability to detect, avoid, defeat and survive threats using multiple layers of protection will allow the KC-46 to operate safely in medium-threat environments. With unmatched operational flexibility, the KC-46 is a mobility gamechanger.

It is based on the proven Boeing 767 commercial airplane. This includes a digital flight deck featuring Boeing 787 Dreamliner electronic displays and a flight control design philosophy that places aircrews in command to maximize combat maneuverability. The KC-46 also features an advanced KC-10 boom with an expanded refueling envelope, increased fuel offload rate and fly-by-wire control system.

Combat-ready

In February, 2011, Boeing received a contract to build 179 next-generation aerial refueling tanker aircraft that will begin to replace the Air Force’s fleet of 416 KC-135 tankers. The contract calls for Boeing to design, develop, manufacture and deliver 18 initial combat-ready tankers by 2017.

In addition to a cargo door, the KC-46 features a main deck cargo floor which can be reconfigured by one person in no more than two hours or two persons in no more than one hour to accommodate any mission.

Unique among tankers, the KC-46 can operate in chemical, biological and nuclear conditions, features cockpit armour for protection from small arms fire, and can also operate from a large variety of smaller airfields and forward-deployed austere bases.

KC-46 delivers more fuel at all ranges and from shorter runways, three times more cargo pallets, up to twice as many passengers and over 30 per cent more aeromedical evacuation patients than the KC-135 that it is replacing.

New robust defensive systems and cockpit armor protection enhances KC-46 crew survivability.

Large Boeing 787 15” displays allow KC-46 pilots to quickly optimize flight parameters for critical decision making and mission success.

The KC-46’s ability to refuel all fixed-wing receiver aircraft anytime, on every mission, including simultaneous multi-point refueling, is enabled by an advanced design fly-by-wire boom based on the proven KC-10 boom, and 21st century centerline and wing-mounted hose and drogue systems.

Highly-efficient design

This is a new generation of efficiency and affordability. KC-46 is based on the most fuel-efficient commercial airplane in its widebody class. Highly efficient design saves the Air Force hundreds of millions of dollars through lower KC-46 maintenance, depot and repair costs.

Onboard KC-46 aircraft health diagnostic systems provide real-time health monitoring and improve operational availability and mission capability.

It boasts superior dispatch reliability – 99 per cent dispatch reliability means greater mission effectiveness for the KC-46 and unprecedented availability to meet more mission requirements with fewer tankers.

A proven global support network ensures around-the-clock, around-the-world service for the KC-46, underpinned by a fleet of more than 1,000 commercial 767s flying for over 70 airlines worldwide.

Boeing-designed and -built brings huge kudos. It means building the KC-46 tanker with the world’s most skilled and experienced workforce, and most advanced manufacturing and production processes. A new Lean production line is set up to produce new tankers faster and more efficiently than ever before.

The Boeing KC-46 Tanker program completed Preliminary Design Review (PDR) with the US Air Force in 2012.

The review demonstrated that the preliminary design of the KC-46A Tanker meets system requirements and establishes the basis for proceeding with detailed design.

The program's next major milestone was a Critical Design Review (CDR) that took place in the summer of 2013. The CDR confirmed that the design of the KC-46A is mature and ready to proceed to the manufacturing phase.

In addition to the successful PDR, the Boeing KC-46 team has completed several major milestones on or ahead of schedule that include a System Requirements Review, Integrated Baseline Review, 767-2C PDR, and Firm Configuration Reviews for the 767-2C and the KC-46A Tanker.

Modernized

Boeing will build 179 next-generation aerial refueling tanker aircraft that will begin to replace the Air Force's fleet of 416 KC-135 tankers.

The KC-46A also features a modernized KC-10 boom with a fly-by-wire control system, and a refueling envelope and fuel offload rate that is greater than that of the KC-135 it will replace.

Since the awarding of the contract Boeing's KC-46 Tanker program has completed the Air Force System Requirements Review as well as the 767-2C Provisioned Freighter Preliminary Design Review and Firm Configuration. The latter review marks the end of the preliminary configuration development phase for the Boeing commercial airplane on which the KC-46 tanker is based.

In June 2014, Boeing formally offered to the Republic of Korea the KC-46, the US Air Force’s next-generation tanker, as Korea prepares to acquire four aircraft for its first tanker squadron.

“We’ve been a strategic and industrial partner with the Republic of Korea for more than six decades and remain committed to helping Korea strengthen its defense capabilities and aerospace industry,” said Eric John, president of Boeing Korea.

“With the KC-46, Korea will acquire a force-multiplier and the ability to operate seamlessly with the U.S. Air Force during combat and humanitarian relief operations.”

Boeing made the offer in response to Korea’s request for proposals for an aerial refueling tanker. Korea’s Defense Acquisition and Program Administration was expected to complete its competition by the end of 2014.

Most advanced

The KC-46, the most advanced tanker ever built, leverages Boeing’s 75 years of expertise with air refueling systems. In addition to its refueling mission, it can transport cargo, passengers and support aeromedical evacuations.

“Based on the proven 767 airframe, which has an in-service readiness rate of approximately 99 percent as an airliner, freighter and tanker, the KC-46 will be able to fulfill more mission requirements with fewer aircraft than is possible today,” said Chuck Johnson, Boeing vice president, Air Force Programs.

Boeing is pitching the KC-46 to the Polish Air Force too for their tanker requirement. Although Poland is part of the European Defence Agency, which has a requirement for eight tankers, Poland wants to operate up to four tanker aircraft to ensure its air force is not constrained by any decision made by the EDA. International delivery slots can be available by 2018. The KC-46 faces competition from the Airbus A330 MRTT.

Boeing and the US Air Force successfully completed the first flight of the KC-46 tanker test program . The plane, a Boeing 767-2C, took off from Paine Field, Washington., and landed three hours and 32 minutes later at Boeing Field. The aircraft will receive its military systems following certification.

As part of a contract awarded in 2011 to design and develop the Air Force’s next-generation tanker aircraft, Boeing is building four test aircraft – two 767-2Cs and two KC-46A Tankers. The 767-2Cs enter flight test as commercial freighters prior to receiving their aerial refueling systems, while the KC-46s will fly as fully equipped tankers through the FAA and military certification process.

Boeing is on contract to deliver the first 18 of 179 KC-46 aircraft to the Air Force by 2017.

The KC-46 Tanker team will include more than 800 suppliers in more than 40 states and support approximately 50,000 total US jobs.

Boeing will build and deliver to the U.S. Air Force 179 KC-46As by 2027 if all options under the contract are exercised.

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