A photo posted by the Facebook account "Air Force Amn/Nco/Snco" shows a KC-46A tanker parked at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina after making an emergency landing on 8/7 due to an in-flight incident.
The photo shows the aircraft's refueling boom snapped in two, with the remaining metal torn. The underside of the aircraft's tail is also dented and scratched, apparently from impact with the broken boom.
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The KC-46's refueling boom in a photo released on 14/7. Photo: Facebook/Air Force amn/nco/snco |
John Van Winkle, a spokesperson for McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas, confirmed the aircraft belonged to the 22nd Air Refueling Wing and experienced an emergency while refueling F-22 fighters on the afternoon of 8/7.
US media previously released a recording of radio communication between the KC-46A and air traffic control. The recording indicates the crew reported the refueling boom had "broken off" and they were executing emergency procedures. No one was injured, and the F-22 fighters returned to base safely.
Van Winkle stated the US air force has launched an investigation and cannot release further information.
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The dented tail of the KC-46 after the incident on 8/7. Photo: Facebook/Air Force amn/nco/snco |
In 2001, the US launched the KC-46A Pegasus tanker program, based on the Boeing 767 airliner, to replace the KC-135, which entered service in the late 1950s. However, the project has faced numerous problems, including delays and cost overruns.
The Pegasus project has a total value of approximately 7.5 billion USD. The US air force ordered 179 aircraft at an average price of 160 million USD each. Several serious issues with the KC-46A remain unresolved, despite the US military receiving the first aircraft in 1/2019.
In its 2024 force structure assessment, the Pentagon's assessment committee stated the KC-46A does not meet several operational requirements, and maintenance is often prolonged due to parts supply issues. A faulty pump delayed a delivery earlier in 2024 by two months.
In March, the US air force announced Boeing had discovered cracks in the fuselage and load-bearing structure of two of four newly manufactured KC-46A Pegasus aircraft. This discovery halted deliveries until the cause was identified and an effective solution implemented.
Pham Giang (According to Defense News)
