4 More On Track For Delivery To The Italian Air Force
The Boeing Company delivered the last of four KC-767
aerial refueling tankers to the Japan Ministry of Defense January
8th, completing one of the International Tanker team's most
significant milestones.
Boeing's partner on the Japan Tanker program, Itochu Corp.,
handed over the KC-767 advanced tanker to Japan Ministry of Defense
officials. Assigned to the 1st Airlift Wing of the Japan Air
Self-Defense Force at Komaki Air Base, it is the third consecutive
KC-767 tanker to be delivered to Boeing's Japan customer within the
contracted schedule and budget.
"Providing Japan with the fourth and final KC-767 tanker
on-schedule and on-cost, as we did the previous two KC-767s, means
a great deal to our company and our relationship with this
important customer," said Dennis Muilenburg, president and CEO of
Boeing Defense, Space & Security. "Because of these tankers,
Japan now has the capability to perform vital self-defense,
refueling and airlift missions. Also, when necessary, it possesses
the capability to perform critical humanitarian and disaster-relief
missions across the Pacific region and beyond using the
KC-767."
"We are proud to have been a partner in the successful delivery
and implementation of the KC-767 aerial refueling tanker into the
Japan Air Self-Defense Force," said Greg Kasagawa, executive
officer and COO of the Aerospace and Industrial Systems Division of
Itochu Corp. "The fleet of tankers is playing a significant and key
role in the strategic self-defense needs of Japan."
The fourth tanker flew to Japan on Dec. 20 from Boeing's tanker
modification facility in Wichita, KS. The KC-767 is a military
derivative of the proven 767-200ER commercial widebody airplane
built at Boeing's commercial production facilities in Everett,
Wash.
Boeing delivered the first three KC-767 tankers to Japan in
February 2008, March 2008 and March 2009.
The Japan KC-767 fleet is currently undergoing Operational
Evaluation by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, a process that
should be completed early this year. The fleet achieved Initial
Operational Capability (IOC) in March 2009.
The tanker has an open architecture cockpit and is configured
with the advanced Boeing air refueling boom and the associated
Remote Aerial Refueling Operator (RARO) II system. Japan selected
the convertible freighter configuration, allowing it to carry cargo
or passengers while maintaining its primary role as an aerial
tanker. With a convertible freighter interior, the Japan tanker can
be rapidly converted from all-passenger to all-cargo
configurations.
Boeing also is on contract to deliver four KC-767s to the
Italian Air Force. Three of the four tankers are in flight test,
with the fourth airplane still being modified.