Boeing KC-46 Tanker Completes First Air Refueling
The first fuel transfer from a Boeing KC-46A tanker to a receiver aircraft was completed on Jan 24, marking a key step towards fulfilling requirements for the U.S. Air Force’s Milestone C decision covering low rate initial production of the first batch of tankers.
The contact was made between EMD-2, the first fully configured KC-46A test aircraft, and an F-16C from the Edwards AFB, California-based 416th Flight Test Squadron over the shores of southern Washington and northern Oregon. Further flights were also conducted with the tanker formating with an Air Force C-17 from nearby McChord AFB.
Follow-on testing is planned for the coming weeks including fuel transfers to a C-17, A-10, F/A-18 and AV-8B, while the KC-46A will also take fuel from a KC-10. The current test effort, which is expected to include boom compatibility checks on Jan 25, has required intensive co-ordination between Boeing and the Air Force with combined operation of the manufacturer’s chase and safety T-33 and T-38 flight test aircraft with additional KC-135 tanker support from the Air Force.
The Air Force says the test with the F-16C "fulfilled the requirement to connect to a light/fast receiver. The remaining tests with the boom will use an A-10 Thunderbolt II as the light/slow receiver and a C-17 as the heavy receiver. Flight tests employing the centerline drogue system and wing aerial refueling pods will use an F/A-18 Hornet as the light/fast receiver and an AV-8B Harrier as a light/slow receiver." The KC-46A will also have to demonstrate its receiver capability by taking fuel from a KC-10 Extender, it adds...............