NewGen Tanker Based On B767
Boeing has submitted its proposal to the U.S. Air Force to
provide the service with a next-generation aerial refueling tanker
aircraft. Based on Boeing's 767 commercial airplane, the NewGen
Tanker would replace 179 of the 400 Eisenhower-era KC-135 aircraft
currently in the Air Force fleet.
KC-767J Tanker In Japan
The 8,000-page NewGen Tanker proposal, hand-delivered to the
KC-X program office at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
Friday, offers an American-made, 767-based multi-mission tanker
that will satisfy all 372 mandatory Air Force requirements and be
capable, survivable, and combat-ready at the lowest cost to the
taxpayer. The proposal was created by an integrated "One Boeing"
team from various sites across the company, including employees
from the Commercial Airplanes; Defense, Space & Security; and
Engineering, Operations & Technology organizations.
"We are honored to support our U.S. Air Force customer and
submit this proposal to meet the critical mission needs of this
nation," said Dennis Muilenburg, president and CEO of Boeing
Defense, Space & Security. "Boeing has more than 60 years of
experience developing, manufacturing and supporting tankers for
America's warfighters, and we're ready to build the NewGen Tanker
now. This revolutionary tanker will deliver widebody capabilities
in a narrowbody footprint, operate in any theater or from any base,
and -- with the lowest operating cost of any tanker in the
competition -- save the Air Force and the American taxpayers
billions of dollars."
NewGen Tanker Boom Test File Photo
"As the only company in this competition with rich experience in
developing and manufacturing derivative aircraft for the
warfighter, Boeing brings the talent and resources of our existing
team and facilities to fully meet the requirements of the U.S. Air
Force," said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial
Airplanes. "With our Boeing commercial and defense teams and a
proven supplier network, we have delivered more than 1,000
commercial derivative aircraft to U.S. government customers and
military customers around the world. Add to that our experience as
the only company to deliver a combat-tested aerial refueling boom,
and we are ready to provide the right tanker for the Air Force and
the best value for taxpayers."
Based on the proven Boeing 767 commercial aircraft, the NewGen
Tanker is a widebody, multi-mission aircraft updated with the
latest and most advanced technology and capable of meeting or
exceeding the Air Force's needs for transport of fuel, cargo,
passengers and patients. It includes state-of-the-art systems to
meet the demanding mission requirements of the future, including a
digital flight deck featuring Boeing 787 Dreamliner electronic
displays and a cockpit-design philosophy that places the pilot in
command rather than allowing computer software to limit combat
maneuverability. The NewGen Tanker also features an advanced KC-10
boom with an expanded refueling envelope, increased fuel offload
rate and fly-by-wire control system.
KC-767A Fuel Transfer File Photo
Nationwide, the NewGen Tanker will support approximately 50,000
total U.S. jobs with Boeing and more than 800 suppliers in more
than 40 states. That is tens of thousands more jobs in the United
States than an Airbus A330 tanker that is designed and largely
manufactured in Europe.
Boeing has the capacity and capability to meet the production
rate at whatever level the Air Force determines -- with a low-risk
approach to manufacturing that relies on a trained and experienced
U.S. work force and existing Boeing facilities in Washington state
and Kansas. Boeing will use a proven and cost-effective in-line
production system similar to that used on the company's successful
P-8 program for the U.S. Navy.
In addition to building the U.S. Air Force KC-135 and KC-10
fleets, Boeing has delivered four KC-767Js to the Japan Air
Self-Defense Force and is on contract to deliver four KC-767As to
the Italian Air Force.