Boeing KC-46A Tanker Passes More Tests

During a Thursday flight, the airplane successfully extended its “drogue” refueling baskets. The KC-46A has three flexible drogues — one at each wing tip and one in the plane’s belly. On Friday, the test plane extended its rigid, telescoping boom. U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine planes use the flexible drogues for refueling and the U.S. Air Force uses the rigid boom for in-flight refueling. According to a report at Defense News, the boom’s planned refueling rate is 1,200 gallons a minute.

The KC-46A is expected to be able to refuel from both the boom and the drogues on a single flight without having to land to be reconfigured. An Air Force official told Defense News, “This tanker will be able to refuel any fixed wing aircraft or helicopter in the DoD fleet, while being able to take on fuel itself.”

The tanker now needs to demonstrate that it can successfully connect aircraft to both the flexible drogues and the rigid boom, and, finally, that the KC-46A can, in fact, refuel planes in flight.

Testing and evaluation of the new plane and its refueling systems are due to be completed by the end of this year, after which the Air Force is expected to make a decision on whether to proceed with the program. The new tanker will have to pass a refueling milestone with each of at least five different Air Force, Marine and Navy aircraft before the decision known as Milestone C is made. The decision is due no later than April of 2016. Under the terms of the contract, Boeing needs to deliver the first 18 planes to the Air Force by August of 2017.

Boeing shares traded down about 0.4% Tuesday morning to $140.10, after closing previously at $140.68. The stock’s 52-week range is $115.14 to $158.83.

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Here is a photo of the KC-46A with a drogue extended from a wing tip.

Here’s a photo showing the extended boom.