Second Complete KC-46A Tanker Joins Flight-Test Phase

Boeing said it conducted the first flight of its second KC-46A tanker on March 2. One of four prototypes, the EMD-4 aircraft was the second full tanker to join the flight-test program.

The Boeing test team flew the aircraft from Paine Field in Everett, Wash., and later landed at Boeing Field in Seattle. During the flight of about an hour’s duration, test pilots performed operational checks on engines, flight controls and environmental systems.

Boeing is building four tanker prototypes under an engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) contract the U.S. Air Force awarded the manufacturer in February 2011. The first aircraft to fly—EMD-1—is a 767-2C “provisioned freighter” that has accumulated 260 flight-test hours since its maiden flight in December 2014. EMD-2, the first fully configured military tanker, took to the air in September and to date has accumulated 180 flight hours. EMD-3, another 767-2C freighter, will join the flight-test program later this year.

The EMD-2 tanker aircraft completed its first aerial refueling flight on January 24, offloading fuel to an F-16C fighter over Washington state. Now that it has joined the flight-test phase, the EMD-4 tanker will assist EMD-2 in demonstrating the ability to refuel 18 different aircraft and to also receive fuel from a KC-10 Extender, Boeing said.

“Adding a second tanker to the flight test program is very important as we move into the next phase of testing,” stated Col. John Newberry, the Air Force’s KC-46 System program manager. “The team will initially use the aircraft to test mission system avionics and exterior lighting. Later, it will share the air refueling effort with the first KC-46.”