The US Air Force on Tuesday stood up its first KC-46 training unit, but looking forward, the head of Air Mobility Command said the service may need more new refueling tankers than the current program of record.

With Air Force’s 56th Air Refueling Squadron at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, now active, it can begin training KC-46A aircrew this fall. But Gen. Carlton Everhart, commander of the Air Mobility Command, has already started turning his gaze to potential follow-on tanker programs.

“As I look at our modernization, I look at 179 aircraft, and I go: Is that enough? I can tell you right now, because of the combatant war fighter needs that I have — and I serve nine combatant war fighters in the joint fight — I’m going to need more of those aircraft. Maybe not the KC-46. Maybe a KC-Y or KC-Z,” he said, referring to the two tanker buys that would follow the current 179-aircraft program of record buy of the KC-46.

The Air Force has not cemented its plans for KC-Y or KC-Z procurement, but it is assumed that Boeing would offer an updated version of the KC-46, which would then compete against vendors hoping to grab the program away from the incumbent.

“Our proposal is to jump from the Y, and go straight into innovation with technology and go to the KC-Z,” Everhart said.

The Air Force has not cemented its plans for KC-Y or KC-Z procurement, but it is assumed that Boeing would offer an updated version of the KC-46, which would then compete against vendors hoping to grab the program away from the incumbent.

“Our proposal is to jump from the Y, and go straight into innovation with technology and go to the KC-Z,” Everhart said.

Source : defensenews.com