The famous Boeing has become synonymous with unreliability. Not only are civilian airliners experiencing frequent problems, but military aircraft have also repeatedly caused trouble. According to US media reports,The KC-46, a new generation aerial tanker developed by Boeing for the U.S. Air Force, was found to have major flaws.It is reported that,Vibration from the KC-46 fuel pump can damage the air ducts in the bleed air system. This defect is classified as a Category 1 failure, the highest level of the U.S. Air Force.
After the defect was exposed, Boeing took quick measures and claimed to have solved the problem. However, the U.S. Air Force admitted that it had only taken mitigation measures so far, which could reduce the damage caused by vibration, but failed to cure it.
Currently, there are as many as 7 known Class 1 defects in the KC-46 tanker. For example, the remote vision system (RVS) often distorts the image or even makes it unclear, such as the refueling rod part is broken.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the U.S. Air Force launched a bidding plan for the next generation of aerial tankers, totaling $35 billion.
Boeing came up with the KC-46 based on the Boeing 767 passenger aircraft, and Airbus's plan was the A330MRT based on the A330 passenger aircraft. In the end, the latter won in 2008.
However, through various lobbying efforts, Boeing actually got the U.S. Air Force to re-bid, and Boeing won the bid as expected, and the purchase amount was nearly US$10 billion more than originally planned.
As a result, the progress of the KC-46 was seriously lagging behind, and the first aircraft was only delivered in 2018.
Then there are all kinds of problems one after another: insufficient wiring redundancy, fuel leakage, loose floor buckles that cannot carry cargo, possible damage to the outer shell coating of stealth fighter jets when refueling...
One aircraft delivered in March 2019 actually still had tools and other debris. The U.S. Air Force was furious and suspended the receipt. As a result, Boeing made rectifications and the newly delivered KC-46 was again found to have foreign objects.