Yahoo News Boeing’s Troubled K-46 Tanker Aircraft Can't Catch a Break
The KC-46A Pegasus tanker is the Air Force’s first new tanker in decades.
The tanker suffers from numerous defects and technical problems but was still inducted into Air Force service.
The latest problem involves the aircraft leaking aviation fuel, something the military believes could cause severe damage.
The U.S. Air Force’s KC-46A Pegasus has another problem, the latest in a long line of issues that have plagued the service’s first aerial refueling tanker in decades. The aircraft is leaking fuel from its fuel tanks, a problem manufacturer Boeing says it is quickly fixing.
The KC-46A is a modified Boeing 767 commercial transport that can carry up to 212,299 pounds of fuel for thirsty fighters, bombers, cargo transports, and special mission aircraft. The Air Force’s fleet of more than 400 tankers is a major reason America’s air power has a global reach. The service plans to buy 179 of the new aircraft, with 32 already delivered to the service.
According to Defense News, this latest problem involves the aircraft’s fuel tanks. The Air Force discovered leaked fuel between the primary and secondary fuel protection barriers installed in half of the tankers delivered. Under the terms of the manufacturing contract Boeing is responsible for paying for the fix, and the company has already fixed the problem on seven aircraft.
The fuel leak issue is considered a Category One problem by the Air Force, one that could cause severe damage to an aircraft. The tanker already has three other Category Ones that are unresolved: a problem with the video camera that allows the refueling boom operator to operate the boom remotely, a recurring problem where the fuel boom scrapes thirsty airplanes, and the inability of the tanker to refuel the A-10 Warthog.
The most embarrassing problem, however was the discovery of garbage inside the skins of tankers delivered to the Air Force. The service discovered discarded aluminum shavings and even tools inside sealed up sections of the aircraft, raising concerns that such trash could cut wiring and cause electrical problems during flight. The problem was so widespread the Air Force halted delivery of the KC-46A twice. The problem was also mirrored in Boeing’s commercial aircraft—in one case a 787 tanker was delivered to an airline with a ladder and a string of lights left inside.
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