Air Force Working Around Problem With Aerial Refueling Aircraft

Crews ordered to curtail use of the KC-46’s auxiliary power system.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, July 15, 2025 at 11:21 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Boeing KC-46A Pegasus takes off at Yokota Air Base, Japan, in 2018. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Air Force is encountering premature failures of auxiliary power units (APUs) on its Boeing KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling and transport aircraft.
These malfunctioning APUs, which are vital for engine startup and onboard power, make the tankers more cumbersome and costly to operate without ground support.
Air Mobility Command has instructed crews to curtail APU use and rely on ground support equipment while working with the manufacturer to resolve the issue.

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The U.S. Air Force is encountering problems with its fleet of Boeing KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling and transport aircraft.

According to The War Zone, auxiliary power units (APUs) on some of the tankers are not functioning properly. The APU is a small engine that helps start up the aircraft’s main engines and provides electricity for other systems, reducing the KC-46’s reliance on ground support equipment and crews. Without it, though, the tanker becomes more cumbersome and costly to operate.