I hope this avoids settling into prolonged national flag waving. Just sayin'.

One thing nobody here has mentioned is that if the USAF had bought the KC-30 it was to be built in the US by Northrup.

Re settling into flagwaving...
 

...hasn't it settled down to that already?:confused:

A bit of damping re the comment quoting "ex military" types: I'd rather hear it from the Aussies and Italians who are currently going to war with the KC30 and KC767, respectively. Somehow I suppose they're both pretty good at what they were designed for.

Which brings us to the heart of the matter: If Boeing couldn't hit the Air Force spec with their new KC46, it's likely because the spec just didn't fit to the existing aircraft at all. Whatever it was - flow rates, wiring standards, issues not related to the tanker mission - probably cought them unprepared; in other words, I think the whole horror is more of a project-management than a quality issue. We'll probably see in 20 years how the 46 performed in real life.

True. Until they pulled out of the program and Airbus tried going it alone.

Boeing KC-46A Tanker Passes More Tests
 

A small update on the KC-46 program.

Boeing KC-46A Tanker Passes More Tests (NYSE: BA) - 24/7 Wall St.

From that article: “This tanker will be able to refuel any fixed wing or helicopter in the DoD fleet, while being able to take on fuel itself.”

That was the first I had heard about helicopters. Really? I would imagine a MH-60 would be too slow, or there would be too much wake with the 46 that slow and dirty?

KC-46A refuelling an MH-60 or a CH-47? Those'd be photos I'd like to see!

:ok: if they really can though!

And A400M off the wing pods for interoperability....

:}

KC-46 has centerline hose/dorgue, so wing pods are not required for A400M interoperability.

And that statement about KC-46A being able to refuel helos sounds kinda unlikely to me. I think the guy quoted in the article misspoke.

The Boeing press release mentions upcoming tests will include fuel offload to six different aircraft:
F-16
F/A-18
C-17
A-10
AV-8B
another KC-46
No mention of helos (a bit surprised by the A-10 since the USAF seems to be in a hurry to mothball that fleet)

The KC-46A contract was written up well before USAF decided to retire the A-10 fleet. It's probably easier and cheaper to just do the testing than change the contract. Plus, it looks like Congress is going to be successful in delaying that retirement.

Probably referring to C/MV-22 operations

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...pspsw3sfbg.jpg

Me too. Seems most unlikely.

Embraer claim that their KC-390 will be the first jet powered tanker able to refuel rotary wing receivers.

Thanks Ken, I really enjoy when you teach me stuff about AAR.

You're welcome, but what makes you assume I was teaching "stuff about AAR"?

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/ar...ker-wi-418170/

Japanese choose KC-46 - given the history, not a huge surprise?

Not a surprise given that they already operate the KC-767....... And that Airbus declined to tender for the contract......

Airbus immediately declined to participate when Japan issued its tanker request for proposals in September, saying the notice was clearly intended for the Boeing KC-46. “It would be an inappropriate use of shareholders' funds and company resources to bid on this contract and accordingly the company will not be competing,” Airbus said at the time.

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...............

Test assets at Joint Base Lewis-Mchord
 

Last October: Air Force fighter jets visit JBLM to help test new Boeing tanker | The News Tribune

JBLM is near Tacoma Washington

First contact: C-17
 

KC-46 has begun aerial refuel testing of C-17 Globemaster III.

http://www.boeingimages.com/Docs/BOE...4/BI233560.jpg