Boeing Awarded Contract to Enhance KC-46A Multi-Mission Capability
Upgrades will further enhance the combat-proven tanker’s mission readiness and performance envelope
EVERETT, Wash., July 22. The US Air Force has awarded Boeing a $16.8 million contract for KC-46A software and data enhancements that will further advance the mission readiness and performance envelope of the world’s most advanced multi-mission tanker.
The contract includes upgrades to the Onboard Performance Tool software for expedited mission launch, with specific improvements for efficient cargo loading and takeoff and landing data management for flight planning. With these enhancements, aircrews will be able to complete weight and balance calculations more efficiently and load the aircraft and start missions quickly.
“The US Air Force and allies are performing crucial global missions with the growing KC-46A tanker fleet and finding ways to extract more capability from the platform,” said Lynn Fox, KC-46 Vice President and Program Manager. “We’re collaborating to integrate enhancements like these and bring additional capabilities to the battlespace as rapidly as possible to meet the evolving needs of the mission.”
In 2023, the Air Force awarded Boeing a Block 1 upgrade contract, further enhancing the KC-46A’s advanced communications, data connectivity and situational awareness for aircraft survivability and operational advantage in contested environments.
The KC-46A can carry three times more cargo pallets, up to twice as many passengers and over 30% more aeromedical evacuation patients than the KC-135 aircraft fleet it is replacing.
To date, Boeing has delivered 84 KC-46As to the US Air Force and four to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top US exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity.
