Steady production no guarantee of KC-46 avoiding further troubles
A KC-46A Pegasus tanker prepares for landing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. (Photo: USAF),
As Boeing continues to maintain a strong KC-46 production record, will negotiations between the manufacturer and the USAF on a RVS 2.0 baseline configuration prove pivotal to overcoming technical difficulties?
Boeing’s impressive record of delivering 55 KC-46A Pegasus tankers to the USAF in just over two years has been blighted by difficulties in developing a fully functional remote vision system, but new problems linked to panoramic display system deficiencies are also being exposed.
The major effort underway by the manufacturer to fix technical faults, more commonly listed by the USAF as Category 1 deficiencies, sits under the RVS 2.0 engineering design effort that will eventually integrate new 4K colour cameras with accurate viewing geometry, larger screens for air refuelling operator stations and a distance range finder for refuelling receiver aircraft.
Due
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Defence Notes
-
![Leonardo CEO urges “speed as important as money” as joint ventures progress picks up]()
Leonardo CEO urges “speed as important as money” as joint ventures progress picks up
The company’s Q1 2025 results showed a 20% increase in new orders and a 15% increase in revenue across the business.
-
![Rheinmetall vehicle sales almost double as European companies see continued growth]()
Rheinmetall vehicle sales almost double as European companies see continued growth
Results for Q1 2025 have been strong across the board for many defence companies in Europe with forward-looking statements and predictions for the full year also looking good.
-
![Why is the defence market “exploding exponentially” for autonomous targeting capabilities?]()
Why is the defence market “exploding exponentially” for autonomous targeting capabilities?
Solutions that identify, engage and destroy targets with minimal or no human intervention are becoming critical on tomorrow’s battlefield.
-
![Companies post mostly rosy results but warn of potential dark clouds]()
Companies post mostly rosy results but warn of potential dark clouds
First quarter 2025 results have been dropping for companies in the past week but many of the US results come with a health warning in their forward-looking aspects about the potential impact of actions by the Trump administration.
-
![Spain unveils new multi-billion euro defence investment plan]()
Spain unveils new multi-billion euro defence investment plan
The new plan outlined how Spain would reach 2% of its GDP spend on defence by 2025, with €1.9 billion earmarked for new equipment acquisition with several land, naval and air platforms disclosed to be replaced or upgraded.
-
![New Zealand boosts defence spend to US$6.6 billion and vows increased closeness with Australia]()
New Zealand boosts defence spend to US$6.6 billion and vows increased closeness with Australia
This budget will be spent over the next four years and nearly doubles the country’s defence spending as part of GDP to 2%.
