Air Force to Buy 75 More KC-46s, Nixes 'Bridge' Tanker Competition

Air Force to buy 75 more KC-46s, nixes 'bridge' tanker competition

The Air Force has decided to purchase another 75 KC-46 Pegasus tankers after its current contract expires, putting an end to whispers the service would instead hold a competition to fill aerial refueling gaps. “The Air Force approved an acquisition strategy to extend KC-46A production by up to 75 aircraft,” a service spokesperson confirmed to Inside Defense. “The Air Force is investing in both tanker capacity and capability to enable the Joint F…

Air Force Opts for Sole-Source KC-46 Extension Over Tanker Competition

Washington, DC, July 23 - The United States Air Force has made a pivotal decision to forgo a planned competition for its next round of aerial refueling tankers, opting instead to sole-source up to 75 additional KC-46A Pegasus aircraft from Boeing. This move, announced in July 2025, marks the end of more than a year of speculation regarding the Air Force’s strategy for a “bridge tanker” intended to fill the gap between the current KC-46 fleet and…

Air Force to Buy More KC-46 Refuelers, Skip Tanker Competition

The Air Force will buy up to 75 more KC-46 aerial refuelers to recapitalize its KC-135 fleet, opting not to conduct a competition for the next phase of its tanker purchases. “The Air Force approved an acquisition strategy to extend KC-46A production by up to 75 aircraft,” a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine. “This ‘KC-46A Production Extension’ program will maintain uninterrupted tanker recapitalization after final delivery u…