KC-46 Deliveries Resume After Inspections, Corrective Plan Begins


Reserve Citizen Airmen with the 730th Air Mobility Training Squadron help welcome the KC-46A Pegasus to Altus AFB, Okla., on Feb. 8, 2018. Air Force photo by TSgt. Samantha Mathison.

The Air Force on Monday resumed receiving KC-46 tankers, with a Pegasus flying to Altus AFB, Okla., after a foreign object debris inspection at Boeing’s production facility.

The Air Force on Feb. 28 stopped accepting the tankers after FOD was found in several of the aircraft. USAF inspectors found “stuff on the airplane that shouldn’t be there,” such as “trash, tools, things of that nature,” Will Roper, the service’s assistant secretary for acquisition, said at the time.

Air Mobility Command in a statement Monday evening said a tanker was delivered to Altus after FOD sweeps on KC-46s going through the acceptance process. Roper and AMC Commander Gen. Maryanne Miller were briefed on the Defense Contract Management Agency-approved corrective action plan on Monday.

“As directed by the CAP, subsequent deliveries will occur as Boeing successfully completes each aircraft’s inspections and actions assigned from today’s review,” AMC spokeswoman Rose Riley said in a statement.

Deliveries had stopped after the Air Force had accepted six of the aircraft — four at McConnell AFB, Kan., and two at Altus.

Roper said the DCMA and Air Force had developed 13 “remedies” it wants Boeing to adopt to ensure that FOD is kept off the production line. Boeing said at the time there was no change to the tanker delivery plan.