Thursday, March 28, 2024

U.S. Air Force receives two more newest KC-46 Pegasus tankers

The U.S. Air Force received two additional KC-46 Pegasus military aerial refueling and transport aircraft designed to replace the current KC-135 Stratotanker.

The aircraft is capable of carrying 212,299 pounds of fuel and 61,000 pounds of cargo, 10 percent more than the KC-135 can hold.

McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, which is the main operating base for the tanker, this week received two more KC-46 tankers.  Four new KC-46 deliveries in August bring the overall total to 19 Boeing-made air-refueling tankers.

- ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW -

The first KC-46 was delivered to McConnell in January. A KC-46A Pegasus out of McConnell completed the airframe’s first operational refueling May 7, 2019. While in formation with a KC-10 Extender from Travis Air Force Base, the KC-46 offloaded 30,000 pounds of fuel to four F-16 Fighting Falcons on their way to an exercise at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

The Air Force has ordered 52 of the aircraft so far.

The KC-46 Pegasus is set to bring increased capability to the Air Force tanker fleet as the service’s number of KC-135 Stratotankers decreases and its KC-10 Extenders are phased out over the next 10 years. With more refueling capacity and enhanced capabilities, improved efficiency and increased capabilities for cargo and aeromedical evacuation, the KC-46A will provide aerial refueling support to the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps as well as allied nation aircraft.

If you would like to show your support for what we are doing, here's where to do it.

If you wish to report grammatical or factual errors within our news articles, you can let us know by using the online feedback form.

Executive Editor

About author:

Dylan Malyasov
Dylan Malyasov
Dylan Malyasov is the editor-in-chief of Defence Blog. He is a journalist, an accredited defense advisor, and a consultant. His background as a defense advisor and consultant adds a unique perspective to his journalistic endeavors, ensuring that his reporting is well-informed and authoritative. read more

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

TRENDING NOW

Ukraine uncovers secrets of Russia’s new hypersonic missile

Ukrainian analysts have unveiled the classified specs of Russia's shadowy hypersonic cruise missile, the 3M22 Zircon, intercepted by US-made missile defense systems over Kyiv,...