Boeing’s orderbook boosted with new US Air Force contracts
According to the FY2024 US Defense Budget, the KC-46A aircraft has a flyaway cost of $163 million. (Photo: Boeing)
Boeing has been awarded two separate contracts from the USAF giving a boost to its Q4 2024 orderbook.
The first, announced 21 November, was a contract to build 15 additional KC-46A Pegasus tankers for the USAF at a value of US$2.38 billion.
In July 2024, Boeing was awarded a contract to upgrade the KC-46A tanker, work which builds on the Block 1 upgrade from 2023. According to the manufacturer, with this recent Lot 11 contract, 168 tankers are now on contract globally.
“We appreciate our continued partnership with the USAF,” said vice president and KC-46 program manager Lynn Fox.
“This
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
How the UK’s New Medium Helicopter award strengthens AW149’s European prospects
The UK advanced its long-delayed New Medium Helicopter programme in March with a £1 billion order for 23 Leonardo AW149s. While the deal could provide a foundation for further UK and European export orders, funding pressures and previous delays continue to cloud the programme’s future.
-
UK air focus: Drone spending trails European frontline states despite $10.46 billion valuation
Despite the UK having the third-largest military UAV market in Europe, the country appears to be underinvesting in the capability relative to the size of its economy, particularly when compared with Baltic and eastern European states.
-
Proteus: Forging the future of autonomous rotorcraft
As the home of British helicopters, Leonardo has worked with the UK Ministry of Defence for over a decade to advance technologies underpinning uncrewed rotorcraft. Today, in partnership with UK Defence Innovation and the Royal Navy, Leonardo is spearheading the next step in that journey: from remotely piloted technologies to fully autonomous systems.
-
“Fifth-gen capability without the cost”: how autonomous strike can change the face of air warfare
In Conversation… Armor Harris, Senior Vice President for Aircraft at Shield AI, talks to Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan about why cost-effective autonomous aircraft are a game-changer for air forces worldwide, and the key roles played by VTOL and AI as enabling technologies.