# Project 655271 — KC-46 RDT&E

**Program element:** 0401221F — KC-46A Tanker Squadrons  
**Project:** 655271  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force  
**Appropriation:** 3600 — RDT&E, Air Force  
**Budget Activity:** 5 — System Development & Demonstration  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0401221F/655271  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0401221F

## Summary

Project 655271 — KC-46 RDT&E requests $155.1M in FY2027, 29% of the $543.8M requested for program element 0401221F, up 348% on FY2026. 4 R-2A activities decompose the request. Boeing is the largest named R-3 performer at $120.6M, 78% of the project's FY2027 R-3 total.

**Markets:** Maritime & ISR Aircraft — matched on the project title only, and no market size is quoted.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 27.6 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 34.6 |
| FY2027 | Request | 155.1 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 67.8 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 20.0 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 10.0 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 10.0 |

> Estimate types are not summed. This project is one leaf of PE 0401221F; the PE total is the sum of its projects, never added to them.

## What project 655271 buys

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.

**R-3 lines of work:** Product Development; Support; Test and Evaluation.

## Named R-3 performers

| Performer | $M | Share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing | 120.6 | 78% |
| 418th FLTS | 33.9 | 22% |
| Flight Safety Services | 0.5 | 0.3% |

> Budget-justification contract funding, not obligations. Shares need not reach 100% — unnamed and government work is in the denominator.

## Activities (R-2A) — 4

| Activity | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 | Move | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KC-46A Aircraft Product Development | 7.5 | 19.4 | 120.6 | +522% | [a0](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0401221F/655271/a0) |
| KC-46A Test & Evaluation | 17.0 | 14.4 | 33.9 | +135% | [a2](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0401221F/655271/a2) |
| KC-46A Trainer Product Development - Aircrew Training System (ATS) | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.6 | −7% | — |
| KC-46A Support | 3.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | −100% | — |

> Activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. In the request year they partition this project exactly; in earlier years they can under-cover it.

### KC-46A Aircraft Product Development

Will continue product refinement, studies, ground, and flight testing in support of the KC-46 weapon system to include receiver certifications, simulator data collection, and completion of IOT&E events/reporting. Incrementally fund boom telescope actuator redesign (BTAR) Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) efforts and solution for Remote…

Full year-by-year narrative: https://hitchintel.com/programs/0401221F/655271/a0

### KC-46A Test & Evaluation

Will continue Test and Evaluation activities to include but not limited to Development Test & Evaluation, Operational Test & Evaluation, Tanker Qualification, Receiver Certifications, Live Fire Test & Evaluation (LFT&E).

Full year-by-year narrative: https://hitchintel.com/programs/0401221F/655271/a2

### KC-46A Trainer Product Development - Aircrew Training System (ATS)

**FY2027 planned work.** Will continue ATS Night Vision Goggles and ATS Boom Upgrade.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding decreased due to reduction of development efforts.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Continue ATS Night Vision Goggles and ATS Boom Upgrade.

### KC-46A Support

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding decreased due to anticipated completion of program of record development support efforts.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Continue program office support and planning to include but not limited to studies and analysis for future efficiency and energy efficiency initiatives, business case analyses, and future tanker planning.

## What is NOT on this page

Congressional marks, the R-2 mission description and acquisition strategy, the industry vs government split of the whole request, and related program elements are recorded at **program-element** grain — an NDAA mark lands on a PE, never on a project. They are at https://hitchintel.com/programs/0401221F.

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-2A/R-3, PE 0401221F project 655271 (PB PB2027).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0401221F")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*