Aircraft · Air
KC-46A Pegasus
Boeing 767-derived aerial refueling tanker. GAO’s 2025 assessment identifies remote vision and refueling-boom retrofit issues; this entry does not assert their current resolution.
- Milestones0
- Operators—
- Components—
- Programs1
- Capabilities—
- Inputs—
Boeing 767-derived aerial refueling tanker. GAO’s 2025 assessment identifies remote vision and refueling-boom retrofit issues; this entry does not assert their current resolution.
Timeline
No milestones recorded for KC-46A Pegasus yet. The timeline fills in as unveilings, tests, contracts and deliveries are sourced.
Programs & Awards1 programs
Programs1
- KC-46A Tanker Modernization ProgramUnited States
Cost to the Government
Aircraft · Boeing
KC-46A Pegasus
Aerial refueling tanker with separate development aircraft, production procurement, military construction, and long-term support estimates.
Average procurement / aircraft
$185.355M
2023-12 MSAR · Then-year USD
$33.1785B procurement for 179 procurement aircraft; excludes R&D and military construction.
Department of Defense ↗Cumulative program deliveries
82
2023-12 MSAR · U.S. only
78 production + four development in the SAR delivery table; not a current active inventory.
Department of Defense ↗Program acquisition quantity
183
2023-12 MSAR · U.S. only
179 procurement plus four development aircraft.
Department of Defense ↗Development program total
$6.084B
2023-12 MSAR · Then-year USD
RDT&E appropriation estimate, separate from Boeing company-funded losses.
Department of Defense ↗Operations & sustainment
Annual O&S / aircraft estimate
$13.9M / yr
2023-12 MSAR · Constant FY2016 USD
Life-cycle model, not observed current annual cost.
Department of Defense ↗Lifetime fleet O&S estimate
$212.622B
2023-12 MSAR · Then-year USD
Program lifetime projection; do not add it to a single year’s operating cost.
Department of Defense ↗Cost over time · 2 observations
Each row retains its original scope and dollar basis. Changing quantities, service life and inflation can change the estimate without changing the price of building one unit.
| Observation | Measure | Amount | Dollar basis | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current APB baseline in 2023 MSAR | Baseline average procurement cost 175 procurement aircraft in baseline; current scope has 179. | $176.556M | Then-year USD | Department of Defense ↗ |
| 2023-12 MSAR | Average procurement / aircraft $33.1785B procurement for 179 procurement aircraft; excludes R&D and military construction. | $185.355M | Then-year USD | Department of Defense ↗ |
Contracts & purchasing · 1 records
Award values, ceilings and purchase agreements have different meanings. These records are not added together as total spending.
2022-08-31; definitized 2023-12-21 · Definitized aircraft award
Israel via U.S. FMS → Boeing
Value not verified · 4 units in scope
MSAR documents four-aircraft award; LOA funding is a broader scope and not substituted for award value.
Department of Defense ↗
International buyers
Japan · 6 · Approved FMS acquisition · 2023 MSAR / 2024 update
MSAR records six approved and four delivered by March 2024; additional requests are not counted as firm orders.
Department of Defense ↗Israel · 4 · Contracted · 2023-12
Four aircraft under the definitized award.
Department of Defense ↗
Coverage & open research
- Quantity and cost figures retain their source dates. Historical snapshots are not a census of operational availability on the review date.
Unit costs and contract unit prices for this system, and budget figures for the programs that buy it. Each figure states its dollar basis and links its source; contract values are under Programs & awards.