US Air Force: Boeing Must Fix KC-46 Issues Before New Orders

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) has said it will not move forward with a new contract for additional KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling tankers until Boeing resolves several technical deficiencies affecting the aircraft. Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John D. Lamontagne told lawmakers on March 4, 2026, that the service will not finalize a deal for another 75 tankers until the outstanding issues are addressed.

In July 2025, the Air Force announced plans to purchase 75 additional KC-46 aircraft beyond the 188 already in the program of record. The extra tankers are intended to keep production running while the service develops a long‑term plan to replace its aging fleet of roughly 375 KC‑135 Stratotankers.

The KC‑46 program has faced years of technical challenges. One of the most prominent issues involves the aircraft’s Remote Vision System (RVS), the camera and display technology used by boom operators during aerial refueling. Under certain lighting conditions, the system can limit visibility, increasing the risk of accidental contact with receiving aircraft.

Additional problems include stiffness in the refueling boom’s telescoping actuator, fuel system leaks, cracks in some airframes, and quality issues linked to the auxiliary power unit drain mast. Boeing and the Air Force are currently developing an upgraded Remote Vision System 2.0, which is expected to enter service by the summer of 2027. The tanker program has also been costly for Boeing, which has absorbed more than $7 billion in overruns under the fixed‑price development contract.