Boeing is behind schedule and missing the deadline for its tankers that were planned to be delivered to the Pentagon.
Boeing might not be able to deliver the tankers that it had to the Pentagon and will miss the deadline. The airplane maker agreed to reach the goal of manufacturing approximately 18 KC-46 Pegasus tankers by next year in August according to the DCMA, but this goal might be difficult to accomplish and is expected to be at least seven month behind, 2018, March.
The aerospace company might have to face a penalty by the Air Force if it is not able to meet the deadline. The Air Force will even withhold future payments of the company and lower the assessment rating of the airplane maker. The company is supposed to deliver 18 of its KC-46 tankers by August 2017, which is now being delayed to March 2018 or even more.
The Defense Contract Management Agency even went as far as to say that it now has ‘low confidence’ in Boeing Co. promises of deliveries and making them on time, but the company will not slip this to pay the price for it through a penalty. One spokesperson for the company said otherwise, that it would be able to deliver the tanker on schedule.
This tanker is currently undergoing tests; the second tests will took place in the beginning of this month. This tanker has been manufactured for refueling airplanes of United States, used in wars, midair, replacing the company’s previous tanker, the KC-135. Boeing failed many other deadlines, thus agencies don’t have much confidence left in the aerospace giant and its promises. The first tests for these tankers are six months behind and the second test is at least four months behind.
The commercial airplane provider KC-46 will cost the company $5.59 billion in its development, or even $766 million above the budget. The KC-46 Pegasus is a military model of the famous 767 jet, which is also under production. Boeing is staying positive regardless of what others are saying and still believes it will be able to make the delivery of 18 tankers on time. Delivering and manufacturing 18 tankers is difficult task to accomplish, but the company is an expert in making jets and might just be able to make and avoid penalties and disappointments.
The KC-46 is capable of carrying almost 212,229 pounds of fuel at one time and is ideal for supplying fuel midair to military airplanes. The airplane manufacturer is supposed to deliver the Pentagon with 179 of these tankers costing $39 billion, but the production will not be authorized until the development concerns have been completely dealt with.
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