KC-46 delivery slips

Boeing is on pace to deliver 36 aircraft this year.

The UAE has issued a formal request to buy 3 KC-46A tankers. They currently operate 3 A330MRTT tankers.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
The UAE has issued a formal request to buy 3 KC-46A tankers. They currently operate 3 A330MRTT tankers.

Yeah I saw that. Its a bit odd unless its a political move. The MRTT's are capable and why operate two separate tankers? They have similar offloads more or less. Unless they want a boom. And to be honest do they really need tanker support? Unless they want to strike say Tehran........ Seems like a prestige item than an operational need

a reply to: FredT

They have at least something like 80 F-16s that need a boom.

a reply to: FredT

You should view the Emirates purchase as a pre-positioned reserve.

And the hits just keep coming.

The Air Force is reallocating $57M from the KC-46 to KC-135 sustainment. The Pegasus currently has three Category One deficiencies and 160 Category Two. Several commanders have said they're reluctant to allow the use of Pegasus tankers on refueling missions.

www.airforcemag.com...

A GAO report released yesterday says that it will take 3-4 years to fix the RVS and boom stiffness issues. Both will require hardware changes. Boeing is on the hook for the RVS, but since the Air Force accepted the boom and didn't define the requirements, they'll be on the hook for approximately $300M to make the required changes.

Air Force Times

a reply to: Zaphod58


Some friends at McConnel are telling me 10 years would be optimistic, and that odds are assuming the program isn't cancelled (like the B1 was a couple times) it will be closer to 20 years before the 46 can replace the 135.

a reply to: Irishhaf

That doesn't surprise me. Four years just to get the boom fixed, and there are 106 items that they're going to come up with workarounds for. I'm starting to think 20 years is optimistic.

a reply to: Zaphod58


its gotten to the point for me, with all the issues Boeing has had, future contracts they need to look hard at their competitors and tell boeing if they win it, you are on the hook 100% for any airframe until it is 100% Mission capable.


But I know its a pipe dream, they will just throw money at congress till they force us to take the junk they are passing off as quality work... in my civilian job our C-40 that came in for depot is 2 weeks over due waiting on engineers to manufacture a new seat track, how is this stumping boeing engineers this should be a 3-5 day fix max and we are at 2 weeks and counting past our sell back time.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Did they really need to add the remote vision system to that aircraft?

originally posted by: Masisoar
a reply to: Zaphod58

Did they really need to add the remote vision system to that aircraft?

One can only charge so much for a seat, you know... A new undeveloped system, however, is money.

First IOT&E flight completed.

The Air Force is still finding FOD in the aircraft. They're accepting 1 aircraft a month at this point, instead of the planned 3. Boeing, the DCMA, and the Air Force are all doing inspections before any aircraft is accepted. The Air Force expects to find FOD in all the aircraft that are currently on the line.

www.flightglobal.com...

originally posted by: Zaphod58
The Air Force is still finding FOD in the aircraft. They're accepting 1 aircraft a month at this point, instead of the planned 3. Boeing, the DCMA, and the Air Force are all doing inspections before any aircraft is accepted. The Air Force expects to find FOD in all the aircraft that are currently on the line.

www.flightglobal.com...

Still????? Given the MA debacle and this, and as a shareholder, perhaps its time to flush the toilet on the present management team. This kind of crap is either deliberate or part of a poor culture of safety. Either way it points to piss poor leadership

a reply to: FredT

It's not unexpected honestly. As they said in the article, you don't change a culture by writing a memo. It's going to take time to trickle down through the workforce. That's why all three are inspecting separately from the others, so they have more than one set of eyes finding things.

Take this, add the 737MAX fiasco and throw in the bad mouthing of the F-35 it appears to be more of a culture shift inside of Boeing.
I worked for a sub-contractor to Boeing in the 80's. I was part of a team that went to Everett and installed our equipment into their aircraft. They were murder on FOD. I had to count out zip ties before I went on the aircraft and when I left the aircraft I had better have had the trimmed off parts so that they added up.

a reply to: JIMC5499

Yeah, there's been a huge culture shift, especially since they moved their HQ. It's pretty sad to see.

The boom actuator redesign avx replacement will cost the Air Force $55.5M. Talks are still ongoing about the RVS changes. The Air Force believes that the two cameras that are canted are causing the image distortion. Boeing disagrees.

m.aviationweek.com...

The KC-46 has a new category 1 deficiency, and has been restricted from carrying passengers or cargo until a fix is developed. During an overseas OT&E mission, crew discovered multiple cargo locks became unlocked on multiple legs of the trip.

www.defensenews.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

See that's my shocked face...


Boeing has really fallen as a company in my opinion.