Boeing’s recent delivery of two KC-46A Pegasus aircraft to the United States Air Force (USAF) brings their total fleet to 84 new aerial refueling planes, according to information shared on the aerospace company’s social media platforms. This delivery marks another milestone in the ongoing replacement of the aging KC-135 Stratotanker fleet.
The information arises from a Boeing post, where the company confirms the receipt of two new KC-46A by McGuire Air Force Base located in the state of New Jersey. With this delivery, confirmed on May 31st, these facilities now house a total of 22 Pegasus aircraft, which are presumed to operate as part of the 305th and 514th Air Mobility Wings (the latter being part of the USAF Reserve Command).
With the reception of these two aircraft at McGuire Air Force Base, the United States Air Force now has a total fleet of 84 KC-46A Pegasus, and more units are expected to be received soon. This is due to successive contracts for new aircraft that the Department of Defense has been awarding to Boeing. The most recent contract, for a total of 15 aircraft at a value of $2.3 billion, was awarded at the end of November 2023.
However, in addition to the orders placed in favor of the USAF, orders from other current and future operators must be added, such as the case of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Israeli Air Force, to which the Italian Air Force could be added. In the case of the former, they ordered two additional units at the end of 2022, while in the case of Israel, it is preparing to receive its first Pegasus during the first half of 2025, under a contract for four aircraft.
Finally, in the case of Italy, the Italian Air Force is negotiating an order for six aircraft, for which the signing of a contract with Boeing has not yet been recorded. Through their incorporation, the aim is to replace the current Boeing 767-200 ER (Extended Range) aircraft, which were incorporated in 2012 after undergoing the respective conversion work, as they are civilian aircraft that operated with TAP Air Portugal since 1992.
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