The KC-46A can carry more than 90,000 liters of fuel to refuel other aircraft in flight (Boeing)
Largest operators in the world of replenishment technique in flight, the United States will soon have a new "tanker" as they are called these "gas stations" air. The project is in charge of Boeing, which has successfully completed this week the first flight of the KC-46A 'Pegasus', based on commercial jet aircraft 767-200.
During the flight, pilots of the Boeing followed the workings of the engines, flight controls, electrical systems and reached 10.7 thousand meters of altitude. The first test was to evaluate the behavior of the aircraft already equipped with the equipment to refuel other aircraft in the air. The "kit" contains three places of supply hoses with two wings and a movable probe tail, and on board fuel tanks.
The KC-46A is designed to replace the KC-135 Stratotanker, one of the oldest aircraft in the US Air Force (USAF), introduced in 1957. The KC-135 is based on the old Boeing 707, which are the operational limits and need be removed from service.
The new Boeing tanker has load capacity, range and speed almost equal or higher compared to the Stratotanker veteran. The big difference and the Pegasus fulfills the same mission with only four engines, while the current model is powered by four turboreatores, which considerably increases the cost of operation and fuel consumption.
According to manufacturer's specifications, the Pegasus can carry 90,198 kg of fuel (700 kg unless the Stratotanker) for other aircraft. The device can fly at a maximum speed of 915 km / h and travel up to 12,000 kilometers.
Each KC-46A unit is valued at US $ 241.1 million (Boeing)
The test schedule with the new aircraft should last until the end of this year with a series of exercises refueling of other aircraft of the USAF. Boeing has indicated that it will deliver the first 17 units of the KC-46A in August 2017 - the USAF ordered 179 copies of the new tanker.
Aerial refueling in Brazil
The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) also has the ability to refuel aircraft in flight. Currently, this function is performed by C-130 Hercules cargo with equipped with refueling probes. In the future, this operation will be transferred to the Embraer KC-390, whose first units will be delivered to FAB from 2018.
By 2013, the Air Force still had the KC-137, an aircraft loading and refueling adapted in the cell of the Boeing 707.
The Brazilian Air Force aerial refueling is performed by C-130 Hercules cargo (FAB)
