The U.S. Air Force granted Boeing a $184 million contract for a Block 1 upgrade of the KC-46A Pegasus refueling and military transport aircraft.
Under the contract, Boeing will add encryption and antijamming capabilities to enhance line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight communications in the aircraft, the company said Friday.
KC-46A was approved by the Air Force Air Mobility Command as a global combat operational vehicle in 2022, after demonstrating its advantage as a connectivity and situational awareness platform.
“This upgrade demonstrates long-term investment from Boeing and the Air Force,” said James Burgess, vice president and KC-46 program manager at Boeing. “The KC-46A is built to integrate cutting-edge capabilities directly into the DNA of the aircraft as the needs of the mission evolve.”