Boeing Starts Assembly of Final KC-46A Test Aircraft
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“All four test aircraft are moving through production to support our transition to ground and flight testing later this year,” said Maureen Dougherty, Boeing vice president and KC-46 Tanker program manager. “Our joint Boeing and U.S. Air Force team continues to deliver on our commitments to the warfighter.”
The aircraft are commercial derivatives of the Boeing 767 jetliner; their design features aerial refueling capabilities that will be installed later at Boeing Field in Seattle. The 767 is a proven jet in service as an airliner, freighter and international tanker, with more than 1,060 delivered worldwide.
The first flight of an Engineering and Manufacturing Development KC-46 tanker program test aircraft, without its aerial refueling systems, will take place at midyear, followed by the first flight of a KC-46A tanker in early 2015. The first delivery of a production aircraft to the Air Force is planned for early 2016. Boeing expects to build 179 tankers by 2027 if all options under the contract are exercised.
Source : The Boeing Company
