KC-46, A VERSATILE PLATFORM

The KC-46 Pegasus is a versatile aerial refuelling platform available in the global market that is ushering in a new era of efficient in-flight refuelling of military aircraft

- AIR MARSHAL B.K. PANDEY (RETD)

THE BOEING KC-46 PEGASUS IS A twin-engine aerial tanker developed by Boeing based on its 767 wide-body airliner also developed by the company that has been in service since July 1982. More than 1,000 of these platforms have been manufactured by the company that are flying today. The KC-46 aerial tanker was selected by the United States Air Force (USAF) in February 2011 to replace the fleet of Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers, a four-engine platform that has been the only aerial tanker with the service for more than six decades now. The KC-46 is equipped with both hose-and-drogue as well as boom receptacle system, built to match international standards rendering the aerial tanker capable of delivering fuel in flight to a wide variety of aircraft ranging from combat jets to heavy transports aircraft. The KC-46 offers a flexible multi-role capability and is capable of carrying troops, cargo, medical supplies with personnel as well as any combination of the three while retaining the capability to undertake aerial refuelling task. The KC-46 also has a fully integrated capability that enables the crew to carry out the aeromedical evacuation. The aircraft can be rapidly reconfigured in just two hours for any selected mission and can be made to get airborne with a notice of just ten 10 minutes from a state of ground readiness.

The need to induct modern aerial tankers into the IAF is urgent and for this requirement, the latest version of the Pegasus would be a good choice that will remain so for decades to come as it is a very reliable and economical platform