The Hudson Institute recommends that the US Air Force develop and procure 250 medium-sized blended-wing-body tankers to strengthen aerial refueling capabilities in the Indo-Pacific. The proposed aircraft could deliver more fuel over longer distances while potentially reducing 30-year fleet costs by $15.5 billion. The proposal comes as JetZero prepares for the Z4 demonstrator’s planned first flight in late 2027.
KC-46A tanker
A US Air Force investigation found that combined mistakes by a KC-46 boom operator and an F-22 pilot snapped a refueling boom, causing roughly $10 million in damage when it fell into the Atlantic Ocean.
The U.S. Air Force (USAF) marked a major fleet milestone with the arrival of its 99th and 100th KC-46A Pegasus aircraft at Travis Air Force Base (SUU) in California.
Boeing secures a $2.47 billion contract from the United States Air Force (USAF) for 15 KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling tankers under Lot 12.
In an unfortunate incident, a KC-46A Pegasus recently underwent an emergency landing due to an issue with its refueling boom.