Boeing’s long-awaited upgrade to the KC-46 tanker’s remote-vision system has slipped once again, the latest delay for the beleaguered program.
“The current projection for fielding RVS 2.0 is summer 2027. The Air Force and Boeing are exploring opportunities to prevent or mitigate the slip in schedule,” an Air Force spokesperson said.
The aerial tanker was designed without the traditional window that lets the operator see the refueling boom to steer it toward a fuel-thirsty aircraft. The cameras and screens of RVS were supposed to do a better job. But the initial version works poorly, particularly in certain lighting, prompting the Air Force and Boeing to plan a new version.
The upgrade was initially slated for delivery in March 2024, but officials revised that date to October 2025, then 2026, and now mid-2027—three years past its original timeline.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin hinted at the fresh delay during a House Appropriations defense subcommittee hearing on Tuesday: “The latest estimate on the pacing item is the remote vision system, which, again: it is operating, it’s just not operating as we would expect it to. We’re probably looking at another 18 months.”
Boeing deferred questions to the Air Force on the new timeline for RVS 2.0.
The upgrade is intended to fix two of the program’s five category-one deficiencies—problems that can potentially cause a crash or loss of life. The others include issues with the tanker’s drain masts, “stiff boom,” and environmental control system.
The tanker is “capable” but “not optimal,” Allvin said, adding that he’s met with Steve Parker, interim CEO of Boeing’s defense arm, to go over the remaining deficiencies “line by line.”
These problems have been a major headache for Boeing, which has spent more than $7 billion to fix problems with the KC-46.
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