Leanne Caret: Boeing Eyes KC-46 Tanker Aircraft Delivery by Year’s End

Leanne Caret, president and CEO of Boeing’s defense, space and security segment, has said the company is “on the cusp of delivery” of the first 18 KC-46 air refueling tanker aircraft to the U.S. Air Force this year, the Seattle Times reported Thursday.

“We have an entire fleet of tankers here and as we get toward first delivery we are going to be able to really start ramping up,” said Caret, a 2018 Wash100 recipient.

The report said Boeing has 34 tankers that are in various phases of completion, including four production aircraft that are now scheduled for delivery to McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas.

KC-46 is a modified version of the Boeing 767 commercial aircraft that has a refueling boom, laser system that works to confuse heat-seeking missiles, sensors, electromagnetic pulse shielding platform and tools that work against biological and chemical agents.

Mike Hafer, business development manager for KC-46, said Boeing is on the lookout for foreign military sales deals and intends to sell 48 aircraft overseas.