Boeing Says First Japanese Tanker Will Deliver In Early '08

Boeing announced this week its KC-767 successfully transferred fuel to an F-15E Strike Eagle on the night of January 26 -- the first nighttime refueling ever accomplished on a KC-767.

The tanker, scheduled for delivery to Japan's Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) early this year, departed McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, KS and flew a three-hour, nine minute flight. Operating in the skies over Missouri, the aircrew connected the KC-767s fly-by-wire boom to an F-15E 11 times during dusk and night conditions and successfully offloaded fuel before returning safely. The company used the F-15E under a cooperative research and development agreement with the US Air Force.

"Using our remote vision system, I was impressed with the quality of the picture and my ability to accurately see details of the F-15E and its refueling receptacle at night," said Rickey Kahler, Boeing KC-767 chief test boom operator. Boeing says the advanced boom builds on the aerodynamic shape and size of previous systems, and provides more precise and responsive controls to the operator. With 2,600 fewer parts than previous booms, it also is easier to maintain.

Japan's KC-767 Tanker, a military derivative of the 767-200 commercial airliner, was selected over its competitor, the Airbus A310, in a direct competition in 2001. Since then, however, Japan has had to wait a bit longer than planned for the plane.

Full FAA certification of the KC-767 -- a requirement of JASDF's contract with Boeing -- still hasn't been accomplished. Technically, that certification isn't required for a military aircraft... but Japan has insisted on it. Perhaps most importantly, that stipulation is also a requirement in the bid to replace the US Air Force's current fleet of aging KC-135 tankers, where the Boeing plane is duking it out against the Airbus A330-derived KC-30.

"Our next step is to complete the remaining Federal Aviation Administration certifications and deliver two new tankers to Japan early this year," said George Hildebrand, Boeing KC-767 Japan program manager.

Boeing has built nearly 2,000 tankers in its history, and is under contract to build four KC-767s for Japan. The JASDF selected the convertible freighter configuration, which will provide flexibility in carrying cargo or passengers, while maintaining its primary role as an aerial tanker.

Boeing also is building four KC-767s for Italy with delivery of the first two tankers in the second quarter of 2008. To date, Boeing has logged more than 350 flights accumulating more than 1,000 flight hours on the KC-767.

FMI: www.boeing.com/ids