KC-46 Production Remains Paused as Strike Recovery Begins

As the due date moves closer, the US Air Force has yet to receive any of the 15 Boeing KC-46 Pegasus tankers it was promised. Production of the aircraft has been delayed due to the recent seven-week strike.

The Air Force’s tanker program is set to include a total of 179 KC-46s, and Boeing has delivered around 80 so far. The Air Force has been placing orders in batches, the most recent being a $2.3 billion contract for 15 tankers in November 2023. Under the agreement, Boeing is required to deliver the next group by late 2025.

“No KC-46s have been delivered in FY 25,” stated an Air Force representative.

As the branch continues to wait for its tankers, officials have hinted at the program completion being pushed back to 2031. This is two years beyond initial expectations. A growing list of unresolved, high-risk flaws with the Pegasus have continued to delay deliveries, which was only exaggerated by the recent strike. So far, Boeing has lost nearly $8 billion on the KC-46 project.

The 33,000 worker strike began on September 13 and ended on November 4 for a total of 52 days. Boeing was unable to keep up with the production schedule for several of its aircraft, including the 737, 787, and KC-46, contributing to its $6 billion Q3 loss. $2 billion of this stemmed from Boeing’s defense sector.

Boeing has yet to indicate when KC-46 production will resume. Air Force officials have made no comment on when deliveries are expected, though they expect the manufacturer to adhere to its contracted schedule.

With costs from the strike and aircraft issues growing, Boeing is doing everything possible to save cash. It announced in October that it would be dropping 10 percent of its staff, or roughly 17,000 workers.

“I think that we're better off doing less and doing it better than doing more and not doing it well, so we're in the process of taking an evaluation of the portfolio,” stated Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg.

FMI: www.boeing.com, www.af.mil