KC-46 Refueling Aircraft's Mission Capability Fell Short of Desired Level in 2024
U.S. Air Force's KC-46 Pegasus Tanker Continues to Face Operational Challenges
The U.S. Air Force's advanced aerial refueling and strategic transport aircraft, the KC-46 Pegasus, continues to grapple with operational obstacles and technical issues that have reportedly impacted its mission capable and availability rates.
Recent data indicates a decline in the KC-46's mission capable (MC) rate from 65% in 2023 to 61% in 2024. This rate contrasts with that of the legacy KC-135 tanker, though specific numbers for the latter were not specified in the cited data.
Deliveries of the KC-46 were temporarily halted due to issues such as structural cracks, but Boeing has resumed deliveries following repairs and fixes. As of May 2025, the KC-46 is in service at six U.S. Air Force main operating bases and has completed hundreds of sorties, regularly offloading more than five million pounds of fuel monthly to various receiver aircraft. The tanker is also in service internationally, with Japan and Israel receiving four aircraft each, and other countries evaluating the platform.
The KC-46 faces several technical and operational challenges. The upgrade to its Remote Vision System (RVS) has been delayed and is now expected in summer 2027, three years behind schedule. The aircraft currently has five Category 1 deficiencies, two of which are related to the RVS, affecting refueling precision and operational safety. The refueling boom's stiffness remains a lingering issue, preventing the KC-46 from refueling aircraft like the A-10 Warthog, and it has not yet been tested with the E-7 Wedgetail.
In addition to these challenges, the KC-46 continues to face supply issues with parts, which drive significant parts demand, additional maintenance, and damage to the aircraft. One of the problems driving these issues is a systemic failure of bleed air ducts, initially designated a Category 2 deficiency, but upgraded to a Category 1 due to the number of aircraft affected and the number of repeat failures.
Despite these challenges, the KC-46 Pegasus plays a central role in U.S. and allied refueling operations, with ongoing efforts to improve reliability and operational readiness. The aircraft completed a Maximum Endurance Operation in June 2024, in which two KC-46 aircrews from the 22nd Air Refueling Wing completed a 45-hour nonstop circumnavigation flight beginning and ending at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. Boeing is currently building the KC-46 under a fixed-price contract, with 89 aircraft delivered as of late 2024, and 124 under contract for the 179 planned aircraft. The last contract, for the 15 aircraft in Lot 11, was awarded in November 2024, with a value of $2.4 billion, or about $159 million per airplane.
However, Boeing has absorbed more than $7.5 billion in losses on the program to date, and the company was not immediately able to provide comment on the Department of Test and Evaluation report regarding the operational status of the KC-46 Pegasus.
- The KC-46 Pegasus, an advanced aircraft in the U.S. Air Force's inventory, faces operational challenges, particularly in terms of mission capable rate.
- The Air Force's current KC-135 tanker's mission capable rate was not specified, but it appears to contrast with the KC-46's.
- The KC-46's remote vision system upgrade was delayed by three years, and the aircraft currently has five Category 1 deficiencies affecting refueling precision and safety.
- Bleed air duct systemic failures in the KC-46 have led to parts supply issues, additional maintenance demands, and aircraft damage.
- Boeing is building the KC-46 under a fixed-price contract, with over 89 delivered and 124 under contract, aiming to achieve 179 planned aircraft, yet has absorbed significant losses on the program to date.
