Air Force Approves KC-46A Tanker for Worldwide Deployment, Including Combat Operations

The Pegasus tanker offloaded 1.46 million pounds of fuel to 66 aircraft over the course of 206 flight hours.

Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at 02:45 PM ET

Verified

The U.S. Air Force approved the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker for worldwide deployment, including support of combat operations, following a recent employment concept exercise in the U.S. Central Command area of operations. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Air Force has approved Boeing's KC-46A Pegasus tanker for worldwide deployment, including combat operations, after a 15-month Interim Capability Release.
The KC-46A is crucial for recapitalizing the Air Force's aging tanker fleet, offering advanced air-to-air refueling, cargo transport, and data transmission capabilities to enhance battlefield awareness.
Despite full operational approval, the aircraft's Remote Vision System still has known issues, with an upgrade expected in 2024, while international interest in purchasing the tanker is growing.

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Boeing’s [NYSE: BA] KC-46A Pegasus tanker is now approved for worldwide deployment, including in support of combat operations, according to the U.S. Air Force’s Air Mobility Command (AMC).

The development follows a recent combat employment concept exercise and wraps up a 15-month Interim Capability Release that ensures the tanker could refuel all aircraft, Air Force officials said.