Armed Forces News

The Air Force will not take delivery of the first KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling tanker aircraft until later this year, Reuters reported. The Air Force and the Boeing Company, the aircraft’s builder, earlier had promised to deliver the planes by mid-year. The delay is the second for the aircraft. Boeing missed a delivery deadline of late last year.

“This assessment is based on known risks and predicted impacts associated with airworthiness certifications and slower than expected flight test execution,” the Air Force said in a prepared statement.

“There is always risk on any development program,” Boeing said in a prepared statement. “We’re relying on our partnership with the Air Force to help mitigate those risks, complete KC-46 testing, and deliver 18 game-changing tankers to them as quickly as possible.”
Both statements appeared in the Reuters report.