Plus twelve

The Boeing Co., Seattle (WA) received a USD 1,7 billion contract for twelve KC-46A Pegasus tanker transporters on 12 January 2021. The contract, which is actually a modification on an excisting KC-46 contract, capatilized an option that was set by the US Air Force for the dozen Pegasus.

Boeing has received up-to-date 79 KC-46A orders and this is the sixth production lot. In August 2016, the LOT 1 and 2 were ordered for seven and twelve aircraft, in January 2017 the LOT 3 order contained fifteen aircraft. This was followed by LOT 4 with eighteen aircraft in September 2018. The fifth LOT also contained fifteen aircraft and was awarded in September 2019.

The LOT 6 aircraft will be built within the Fiscal Year 2020 budget at Seattle and work is expected to be completed by 30 April 2023. 

On the picture, a KC-46 is seen from the 97th Air Mobility Wing, assigned to the 56th Air Refueling Squadron, Altus AFB (OK) that refuels an F-16C from the 49th Wing, 54th Fighter Group, Holloman AFB (NM) on 7 December 2020. Two Altus KC-46s and ten Holloman AFB F-16s teamed up in the skies over New Mexico to practice air refueling operations.

Currently, some forty KC-46s are delivered to the USAF, with another ten in the last stadium of production and/or being prepared for delivery. The forty Pegasus' are so far delivered to four units, of which one Air National Guard and one Air Force Reserve Command unit. They are operating the new tankers or are in the process of replacing the KC-135R Stratotanker with the new tanker. Units concerned are the 22nd Aerial Refueling Wing (ARW)/344th Aerial Refueling Squadron (ARS) at McConnel AFB (KS), the 56th (ARS) at Altus AFB (OK), the 77th ARS at Seymour Johnson AFB (NC) and the 133rd ARS at Pease ANGB (NH).

Photo by PAO 97th AMW