USAF and Boeing Co officials on Wednesday expressed confidence that refueling program would deliver its first 18 planes by August 2017 as scheduled, despite a Pentagon report warning that testing of the new aircraft could be delayed by at least six to 12 months.
The KC-46 tanker project, one of the Pentagon's biggest arms programs, calls for Boeing to build 179 new planes for the Air Force to replace the current fleet of 50-year-old KC-135 tankers.
Air Force and Boeing officials have said the program is making good progress, with the last of four test planes to be completed this year.
But a report released Wednesday by the Pentagon's chief weapons tester,said Boeing and the Air Force needed more time to complete developmental testing and initial training before operational testing.
A number of measures has been put in place to lower the risk of delays.
reuters
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