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:

Boeing's KC-46A Pegasus tanker has been approved for worldwide deployment and combat operations by the U.S. Air Force, concluding a 15-month interim capability release period.
Beyond its primary refueling role, the KC-46A is considered a "game-changer" for its ability to transmit and exchange data, providing warfighters with real-time battlefield awareness.
While fully approved for deployment, the aircraft's Remote Vision System (RVS) continues to face visual challenges, with a display upgrade currently in development for installation in 2024.

See a mistake? Contact us.

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.