Breaking Defense toured Boeing’s Seattle-area facilities where the KC-46A is built, and company officials explained fixes in the works for six critical issues, from new cameras to better seals on fuel lines.
Air Force acquisition chief Andrew Hunter indicated he was leaning toward buying 75 more KC-46A tankers as a bridge to an accelerated next-gen program.
Boeing has been fielding increasing interest abroad in its KC-46A tanker, although several nations are inquiring about the aircraft’s ability to carry cargo, not fuel.
Boeing expects to sell up to 42 KC-46 tankers in addition to its current backlog, said Mike Hafer, the company's senior manager for KC-46 business development.