The U.S. Air Force has awarded Boeing a $16.8 million contract to implement improvements in the software and data systems of the KC-46A, aiming to increase the availability and performance of the world’s most advanced multi-mission tanker.
The contract includes upgrades to the software of the Onboard Performance Tool, which will enhance mission start times by improving cargo loading efficiency and the management of takeoff and landing data for flight planning. These enhancements will allow crews to complete weight and balance calculations more efficiently, enabling faster loading and mission initiation.
«The U.S. Air Force and its allies are conducting crucial global missions with the growing fleet of KC-46A tankers and finding ways to extract more capability from the platform,» said Lynn Fox, vice president and KC-46 program director. «We are collaborating to integrate improvements like these and bring additional capabilities to the battlefield as quickly as possible to meet evolving mission needs.»
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 $184 million contract includes the improvement of line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight communication technologies with electronic countermeasures to avoid interference and encryption.
«This upgrade demonstrates the long-term investment of Boeing and the Air Force,» said James Burgess, vice president and KC-46 program director. «The KC-46A is built to integrate cutting-edge capabilities directly into the aircraft’s DNA as mission needs evolve,» he added.
The KC-46A already offers more secure communications and data integration than any other tanker aircraft, providing the crew and fleet with real-time situational awareness for decision-making. By supplying data and fuel to joint forces, the KC-46A is transforming the role of the tanker for the 21st century and will continue to expand its network capabilities on the battlefield, including the integration of the Advanced Battle Management System.
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 fleet it is replacing. To date, Boeing has delivered 84 KC-46As to the U.S. Air Force and four to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
