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Boeing has foregone a software fix for its troubled KC-46A tanker, in favour of a hardware solution, the company’s vice-president of defense, space and security, Leanne Caret, revealed on the eve of the Farnborough air show.
Flight-testing involving an updated boom for the 767-2C-based KC-46A began last week, with Boeing describing the modification as similar to that used on the US Air Force's current KC-10 tankers.
The company says it performed a "bypass surgery" on the KC-46A, during which two bypass valves were inserted to lighten the load on the boom. This had experience axial loading during earlier flight-tests also involving a Boeing C-17 strategic tanker.
The US Air Force has so far ordered a first batch of 18 operational KC-46As, from an expected 179-unit KC-X requirement.
Source: Flight Daily News
