Summary

  • New Category One Deficiency found on KC-46. Expected to be resolved quickly.
  • Boeing working on short-term mitigation plan for the faulty fuel pump.
  • Air Force Program Executive Officer expects downgrade of the issue with workarounds.

The US Air Force and Boeing have discovered what is reported to be another serious deficiency on the new KC-46 Pegasus aerial tanker. Fortunately, the issue is expected to be resolved quickly and be ironed out along with other lingering issues with the platform. Like many other large Air Force projects, the KC-46A Pegasus modernization project is being delayed due to issues with the new technology.

New Category One Deficiency issue found on KC-46

The KC-46 deficiency is the event Category One Deficiency found on the tanker. This new issue is one of a number of issues on a list of unresolved design flaws (although many of these are on their way to being resolved). It is causing damage to the tanker’s air system ducts and involves a faulty fuel pump. Category 1 deficiencies are those issues that could cause the loss of an aircraft and result in injury or death.

KC-46A Pegasus tankers on the runway

Photo: US Air Force

Breaking Defense quoted a Boeing spokesperson as saying, “[a] long-term fix is in work, and we have developed a short-term mitigation plan that is being reviewed by the U.S. Air Force to reduce impact to the fleet.The spokesperson also said that the new issue “is not an immediate safety concern.”

Boeing was the first to notice the issue in the spring after vibrations from a fuel pump were damaging air ducts in the aircraft’s bleed air system.

“We potentially have a path to downgrade that as we work toward a permanent fix. The mitigation is designed to minimize the damage caused by the vibration.” – Air Force Program Executive Officer

The issue is expected to be resolved. The Air Force’s program executive officer (Kevin Stamey) told reporters that Boeing was working quickly to repair the damaged ducts and is already testing a workaround to fix the issue (although a longer-term fix is likely needed). The workarounds should mean the issue will be downgraded to a lower category.

Related

US Air Force Awards Boeing $16.8 Million To Upgrade KC-46A Multi-Mission Capability

Boeing is building the Air Force’s fleet of aerial tankers and has signed a new contract for further upgrades.

The Air Force’s impressive tanker fleet

Aerial tankers are a vital part of the Air Force’s force projection. The service currently has well over half of the world’s tankers in service and other air forces’ tanker fleets look comparatively puny. The Air Force operates three types of tankers: the new KC-46 Pegasus, the KC-10 Extender, and the aging KC-135 Stratotanker.

8508950 - KC-46 Maximum Endurance Operation - Project Magellan [Image 3 of 6]
Photo: Airman 1st Class Gavin Hameed | 22nd Air Refueling Wing | US Air Force

While the Pegasus Tanker Modernization program is delayed, the expected costs of the program have decreased thanks to outdated inflation assumptions (by around $2 billion). The Air Force plans to procure another 14 KC-46s and retire 15 KC-135 Stratotankers in Fiscal Year 2025.

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