The U.S. Air Force (USAF) has temporarily suspended deliveries of KC-46 Pegasus refueling aircraft after Boeing detected cracks in the aileron hinges of four new aircraft during an inspection. These units were scheduled to be sent to the Military Delivery Center; however, the decision was made to initiate a fleet-wide inspection of the 89 aircraft currently in service. Despite this, the Air Force stated: “The damage does not pose a flight safety issue; however, the identified cracks must be repaired before the aircraft can return to operation.”
The KC-46 Pegasus is a derivative of the Boeing 767, a variant selected by the U.S. Air Force under the KC-X program in 2011. The aircraft was already known to be prone to developing cracks in its aileron hinges over time. In this context, the program—designated KC-46A and intended to replace the aging KC-135 Stratotanker—has been under scrutiny since its inception due to other technical difficulties and significant cost overruns. For example, its path to operational status was hindered by software defects, failures in its refueling system, and other issues, which delayed the tanker’s deployment. Additionally, the latest report from the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) indicated that the KC-46A “does not meet many of its suitability criteria.”
Having completed its first flight in 2015, these deficiencies have caused Boeing losses exceeding $7 billion. As of at least January 2024, the KC-46 had a total of six Category 1 deficiencies, meaning they could result in significant losses, according to the U.S. Air Force. Despite these setbacks, the USAF has continued placing additional orders, having requested 15 more aircraft by the end of 2023, followed by another order for 15 KC-46 Pegasus in 2024, valued at $2.38 billion. To date, the Air Force has incorporated 89 units into active service, as part of a projected total of over 170 aircraft.
Due to the suspension, there is still no information on when deliveries will resume or how this situation will affect the current fleet of refueling aircraft. As discussed, the situation is already urgent due to years of accumulated delays, especially considering that these aircraft are meant to replace the retired KC-10s and the KC-135s still in service.
Finally, among the milestones achieved in recent years, one KC-46 was deployed to South America for the first time to participate in the multinational exercise CRUZEX 2024 in Brazil, supporting National Guard F-15C Eagle fighters. Additionally, as part of efforts to strengthen the U.S. military presence in the Middle East, the USAF deployed a KC-46 to the region for the first time to support aircraft currently engaged in deterrence operations.
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