The US Air Force has temporarily halted deliveries of Boeing‘s KC-46A Pegasus tankers after cracks were discovered on two aircraft awaiting delivery. According to reports from The War Zone, the cracks were found during pre-delivery inspections on the primary and secondary structures of the aircraft.
The decision to pause deliveries was made on February 27 by the USAF’s KC-46A program office after identifying issues in the “outboard fixed-trailing-edge support structure” of two planes, an Air Force spokesperson confirmed to Breaking Defense. While the damage doesn’t pose an immediate safety-of-flight concern, the affected aircraft must undergo repairs before returning to service.
A source familiar with the program told Breaking Defense that the cracks were specifically located on the aileron hinges of two yet-to-be-delivered aircraft. Although both Boeing and the USAF have known since 2018 that the KC-46A could develop aileron hinge cracks over time (similar to its parent aircraft, the commercial 767), finding such defects on brand-new aircraft prompted the delivery suspension.
“We are working closely with the customer to assess a potential issue on KC-46A aircraft and to mitigate any potential impact to the fleet and in-production airplanes,” Boeing confirmed in a statement to AeroTime.
In addition to halting new deliveries, the Air Force announced it would inspect its entire fleet of 89 KC-46A Pegasus tankers already in service. If cracks are discovered during these inspections, “the aircraft will undergo repairs before flying again,” according to the Air Force statement provided to The War Zone.
This latest setback adds to a long history of technical challenges for the troubled aerial refueling platform. Even before its first delivery in January 2019, the KC-46A program faced significant hurdles including problems with its Remote Vision System (RVS), which hampered the crew’s ability to safely guide the refueling boom.
Additional defects emerged over time, including malfunctioning cargo hold fasteners, fuel leaks, and problems with the refueling boom itself. The USAF temporarily halted deliveries twice in 2019 after finding foreign object debris left inside the aircraft during production, raising concerns about Boeing’s manufacturing quality control.
As recently as July 2024, the USAF classified a Category 1 deficiency due to excessive vibrations in a fuel pump that risked damaging the engine air bleed system. Although a short-term fix was implemented, the incident underscored the ongoing technical challenges facing the platform.
The repeated technical difficulties have resulted in significant financial consequences for Boeing. In January 2025, when presenting its fourth-quarter 2024 results, Boeing disclosed an additional $1.7 billion in defense-related charges, with $800 million specifically tied to the KC-46A program. According to Breaking Defense, Boeing has lost billions on the KC-46A fixed-price contract since its execution.
Despite these persistent issues, the USAF has little choice but to persevere with the Pegasus. With the KC-10 Extender fleet phased out in 2024 and the aging KC-135 Stratotanker gradually being retired, the KC-46A remains a cornerstone of the Air Force’s strategic air mobility capabilities.
Boeing and the Air Force are now working together to “quickly identify the root cause and develop both a near and long-term way ahead,” according to an Air Force spokesperson.
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