KC-46A Tanker Squadrons

When KC-46A procurement completes, the Air Force will maintain continuous recapitalization of the KC-135 fleet by procuring additional KC-46A tanker aircraft under the KC-46A Production Extension (PEx) project. The Air Force plans to use the KC-46A Capability Production Document as the most affordable requirements basis for Tanker Production Extension. The The KC-46A PEx program funding supports development of acquisition documentation, detailed acquisition plans, Request for Proposal (RFP) contracting activities, assessment and mitigation of risks and issues, and other studies and analysis. Funding includes efforts to define and mitigate Diminishing Manufacturing Sources & Materiel Shortages (DMSMS) and obsolescence issues in preparation for aircraft procurement.​ The KC-46A PEx effort ensures tanker availability for the warfighter and supports the Air Force's assessment and development of tanker requirements for the next Tanker Recapitalization program. This requirement supports performance of a full financial audit as required by title 10 U.S.C. Chapter 9A, Sec 240-D. This program element included all necessary expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605833F, and 0605898F.

Replacement of the legacy tanker fleet will take place in several stages. The initial tanker replacement increment of KC-46As will replace roughly a third of the current capability. Future programs will ultimately recapitalize the entire tanker fleet over a period of more than 30 years. The Air Force completed an Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) in Apr 2006 to determine the most appropriate strategy to recapitalize the aging fleet of aerial refueling aircraft. Based on this analysis, the Air Force concluded a strategy of full and open competition to select a commercial derivative replacement tanker aircraft would result in a best value tanker contract. To initiate the first phase of the tanker replacement, the KC-46A program released a final Request for Proposal (RFP) on 24 Feb 2010, and entered source selection on 9 Jul 2010. The KC-46A program held a Milestone B (MS B) Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) on 23 Feb 2011, received approval to enter Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) from the Undersecretary of War (Acquisition and Sustainment) (USD[A&S]) on 24 Feb 2011, and awarded the KC-46A EMD contract to Boeing on 24 Feb 2011 to develop and procure 179 KC-46 aircraft. The program procured four RDT&E aircraft for integration and demonstration of capability which will ultimately be operationally fielded. During production, and with the recent program of record increase, the program plans to procure 184 production aircraft throughout 13 lots (+4 EMD aircraft) for a total of 188 aircraft. The KC-46A program held a MS C DAB on 12 Aug 2016 and received approval to enter Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP). The program has awarded LRIP lots 1-12 with lot 12 put on contract 25 Nov 2025 bringing total number of aircraft to 169 on the production contract. As of 24 Feb 2026, 103 aircraft have been delivered to the Air Force via DD250. Initial sustainment effort is provided via Interim Contractor Support (ICS) as the program is transitioning to organic sustainment.

The KC-46A will provide the capability to fuel joint and coalition receivers via a boom or drogue system on every mission and will also augment the airlift fleet with cargo, passenger, and aeromedical evacuation capabilities. The KC-46A will operate in day/night and adverse weather conditions to enable deployment, employment, sustainment, and redeployment of U.S. joint, allied, and coalition forces. The KC-46A will have communication, navigation, and surveillance equipment for worldwide operations; the capability to perform missions in chemical and biological environments; the ability to operate in up to medium threat environments with self-defense/protection (both active and passive) capabilities; and the necessary battlespace awareness to mitigate survivability threats. The KC-46A Block 1 Pegasus Advanced Communications Suite (PACS) program will satisfy Department of War (DoW), National Security Agency (NSA), Department of Transportation (DoT), and USAF mandates by upgrading legacy Tactical Data Link 16, Beyond Line-of-Sight (BLOS) Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Line-of-Sight (LOS) capabilities with next-generation Link 16 terminals and UHF secure, global, BLOS and anti-jam LOS satellite voice communications capabilities for the KC-46A weapon system. PACS enables compatibility and interoperability with current and planned future joint and allied forces while simultaneously increasing the survivability of secure global voice and data communications capabilities between Mobility AirForce (MAF) C2 agencies and MAF aircraft operating worldwide in or near contested environments. The KC-46A will continue to develop, field, and sustain warfighter capabilities to meet evolving threats and mission support requirements through Block or discrete modification or modernization programs depending on mission urgency, available funding, and programmatic and technical risks. Post-production requirements can include but will not be limited to avionics and structural systems/ architecture and subsystem updates, general mission equipment updates and procurement, general sustainment support, studies and analyses, future Tanker requirements simulation and training, and correction of field deficiencies. The next PACS communication upgrade requirements is the Block 2 modernization program and MAF connectivity.