Boeing Says First Japanese Tanker Will Deliver In Early
'08
Boeing announced this week its KC-767 successfully transferred
fuel to an F-15E Strike Eagle on the night of January 26 -- the
first nighttime refueling ever accomplished on a KC-767.
The tanker, scheduled for delivery to Japan's Air Self-Defense
Force (JASDF) early this year, departed McConnell Air Force Base in
Wichita, KS and flew a three-hour, nine minute flight. Operating in
the skies over Missouri, the aircrew connected the KC-767s
fly-by-wire boom to an F-15E 11 times during dusk and night
conditions and successfully offloaded fuel before returning safely.
The company used the F-15E under a cooperative research and
development agreement with the US Air Force.
"Using our remote vision system, I was impressed with the
quality of the picture and my ability to accurately see details of
the F-15E and its refueling receptacle at night," said Rickey
Kahler, Boeing KC-767 chief test boom operator. Boeing says the
advanced boom builds on the aerodynamic shape and size of previous
systems, and provides more precise and responsive controls to the
operator. With 2,600 fewer parts than previous booms, it also is
easier to maintain.
Japan's KC-767 Tanker, a military derivative of the 767-200
commercial airliner, was selected over its competitor, the Airbus
A310, in a direct competition in 2001. Since then, however, Japan
has had to wait a bit longer than planned for the plane.
Full FAA certification of the KC-767 -- a requirement of JASDF's
contract with Boeing -- still hasn't been
accomplished. Technically, that certification isn't
required for a military aircraft... but Japan has insisted on it.
Perhaps most importantly, that stipulation is also a requirement in
the bid to replace the US Air Force's current fleet of aging KC-135
tankers, where the Boeing plane is duking it out against the Airbus
A330-derived KC-30.
"Our next step is to complete the remaining Federal Aviation
Administration certifications and deliver two new tankers to Japan
early this year," said George Hildebrand, Boeing KC-767 Japan
program manager.
Boeing has built nearly 2,000 tankers in its history, and is
under contract to build four KC-767s for Japan. The JASDF selected
the convertible freighter configuration, which will provide
flexibility in carrying cargo or passengers, while maintaining its
primary role as an aerial tanker.
Boeing also is building four KC-767s for Italy with delivery of
the first two tankers in the second quarter of 2008. To date,
Boeing has logged more than 350 flights accumulating more than
1,000 flight hours on the KC-767.