Air Force, Boeing Reach Deal to Boost KC-46 Availability by 20% by 2030

Air Force expects new KC-46 vision system in 2028 as lawmakers question price hike

Sen. Kevin Cramer said lawmakers “need more information for sure” about projected price increases for the air refueler, which budget documents show could climb by $100 million per tail.

Air Force, Boeing reach deal to boost KC-46 availability by 20% by 2030

The Air Force and Boeing have agreed to a three-part plan to improve the combat readiness of the KC-46 Pegasus fleet by about 20% by 2030, in part by picking up the pace of delivering a fix for the aircraft's faulty Remote Vision System. The deal comes in the backdrop of contract negotiations revolving around the KC-46 Production Extension Program, with the per-tail cost of the service’s only in-production tanker being projected to rise by 60% i…

Air Force And Boeing Launch KC-46 Recovery Plan After Years Of Readiness And Refueling System Issues

Although the key fixes for the KC-46 will still take years to fully reach the fleet, a new plan promises a 20% availability increase by 2030, faster RVS 2.0 retrofits and a limited Boeing-led sustainment effort. The U.S. Air Force and Boeing have announced a new plan to improve the readiness of the KC-46 Pegasus tanker fleet and accelerate the delivery of long-awaited upgrades. The initiative, which appears to be an attempt to turn the program f…

U.S. Air Force and Boeing launch new plan to improve KC-46 Pegasus readiness and fleet availability

The plan centres on three primary efforts: repurposing early-built aircraft, accelerating installation of the Remote Vision System 2.0 upgrade and implementing a targeted performance-based logistics programme. The Air Force stated that the measures are intended to address both immediate readiness shortfalls and long-term sustainment challenges across the fleet. Troy Meink said, “The KC-46 is a cornerstone of U.S. power projection, and we are pro…

Air Force Accelerates KC-46 Upgrades

MAY 13, 2026 – The U.S. Air Force and the Boeing Company have come to terms for a plan to improve the readiness of the KC-46 Pegasus tanker and accelerate capability delivery to the fleet. The plan pursues three primary lines of effort: repurposing early-built aircraft for immediate operational impact, accelerating the Remote Vision System 2.0 retrofit schedule and implementing a targeted performance-based logistics effort to resolve systemic re…

With tanker fleet under pressure, USAF speeds KC-46 upgrades

Air Force wants higher availability rates as aging KC-135s remain in service and future refueling plans stay under debate