First aerial refueling with a KC-46 pegasus

[SEATAC 400]

And now a new generation of aerial refueling tankers takes to the sky!

[allardjd 1,853]

Interesting name for the aircraft.  It brings to mind the famous Mobil Oil Co. logo of the flying horse.  I wonder if they'll change the traditional "Texaco" call sign?

 

John

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

Glad it worked, though they could have had the A330 Voyager already in service if Boeing hadn't spat the dummy when Airbus were initially awarded the contract. Yet again corporate shoving and government meddling delayed the USAFs new IFR capabiltiy by several years.

[allardjd 1,853]

Glad it worked, though they could have had the A330 Voyager already in service if Boeing hadn't spat the dummy when Airbus were initially awarded the contract. Yet again corporate shoving and government meddling delayed the USAFs new IFR capabiltiy by several years.

 

 

I concur.  I'm not normally one to favor Airbus over Boeing for anything but in this case the busboy's offering was better suited for the mission, already proven in service and was a more modern airframe; if not for this contract, the 767 production line was within months of being shut down.  As you noted, if the government had accepted the Air Force's decision, the new tankers would be in operational service with the squadrons by now.  

 

I understand the merits of the arguments for buying "local" and particularly for keeping, as much as possible, defense purchases domestic.  Most of the time, it's the right thing to do.  In this case, however, the AF was given clear direction by their civilian masters to rigorously and objectively evaluate the bids based entirely on the suitability and economics of the proposed aircraft over their respective operational lifespans.  The Air Force did that, scrupulously, and when they announced that Airbus was the winner, the politicians stepped in and said, "No, no - you've got it all wrong."   

 

John