New Flaws Found in KC-46A Could Delay Deliveries

WASHINGTON, DC. --- Despite earlier assurances that Boeing would deliver the US Air Force's first 767-based KC-46A tanker by the end of this year, boom scraping issues and a slew of uncompleted test points may delay delivery until 2018, the head of its Air Mobility Command has revealed.

More than half way into testing, the USAF has discovered severe flaws on the tanker, known as “category 1 deficiencies”. Among the most glaring, the tip of its boom has on occasion struck receiver aircraft outside their refuelling slipways. Boeing engineers are working to fix the problem, but unless the issue is resolved it could delay a scheduled 1 December delivery, Gen Carlton Everhart said at the annual Air, Space and Cyber conference near Washington DC.

AF discloses today @BoeingDefense KC-46 tanker's been issued 3 Category One deficiency reports including for ``uncommanded boom extension''

— Anthony Capaccio (@ACapaccio) September 19, 2017

It is unknown at this point whether Boeing will be able to meet the USAF’s "required assets available" milestone scheduled for October 2018, Everhart adds. (end of excerpt)

Click here for the full story, on the FlightGlobal website.

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