Boeing Copyright The sixth Boeing KC-46 tanker aircraft has completed maiden flight on April 29, expanding the flight test activities t...
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| Boeing Copyright |
The aircraft is intended to test safe operation while flying through electromagnetic fields produced by radars, radio towers and other systems.
This second low-rate initial production aircraft is part of the first 18 aircraft, that Boeing is contracted for delivery to USAF from August 2017 to January 2018. But this delivery schedule announced in May 2016, is now projected to start only from February 2018.
USAF intends to procure up to 179 of these multi-role new generation aerial refueling aircraft by 2027, to replace the 50 year old KC-10 Extender tanker fleet. At present contract worth $4.9 billion has been awarded to Boeing for 32 tanker aircraft.
The KC-46A flight test program currently has two production aircraft and four Boeing flight test aircraft, which have clocked 1,600 flight hours and more than 1,200 “contacts” during refueling flights with F-16, F/A-18, AV-8B, C-17, A-10 and KC-10 aircraft.
Derived from Boeing’s commercial 767 airframe, the KC-46A is a multi-role tanker/transprot aircraft that can refuel all allied and coalition military aircraft compatible with international aerial refueling procedures and can also configured to carry passengers, cargo and patients.
The KC-46 is equipped with a boom and three hose and drogue aerial refueling systems. The boom allows the tanker to transfer up to 1,200 gallons of fuel per minute, while the plane’s hose and drogue systems, located on both the plane’s wing and centerline, enables the KC-46 to refuel smaller aircraft such as the F/A-18 with up to 400 gallons of fuel per minute.
The first 18 aircraft will be equipped with refueling boom and centerline drogue refueling capabilities as well as all other contract required capability except the wing-aerial refueling pod (WARP)s. The WARP systems will be delivered separately in October 2018.
In June 2016, Boeing announced that due to higher than expected boom loads identified during flight testing, a hydraulic relief valve has been installed on the boom to relieve the pressure.
With a maximum take off weight of 415,000 lbs (188,241 kg), the KC-46A can carry a maximum fuel load of 212,299 lbs (96,265 kg) and is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW 4062 turbofan engines rated at 62,000 lbf (289.13 kN) thrust each.
