Requirements of the new time
The high combat potential of the US Air Force is based not only on a large number of new and old multi-role fighters, bombers and attack aircraft. Perhaps the main thing that distinguishes the American Air Force from the Air Force of any other country is the large number of different support aircraft, as well as the vast experience in their operation.
For example. Now the US Air Force has at its disposal almost 400 Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker tanker aircraft, about fifty KC-10A and about the same or more tankers based on the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transporter. To understand the difference even better, recall that the Russian Aerospace Forces have, according to various sources, 10-15 Il-78 and Il-78M tankers. However, for the bulk of European countries, even this looks completely unattainable.
The above example illustrates well why it is impossible to compare the air force head-on - that is, in terms of the number of combat aircraft. Modern Air Force requires a large number of tankers, AWACS aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft, without which the combat potential cannot be fully unleashed, even if you have at least a thousand fifth-generation fighters and a hundred invisible bombers.
On the other hand, any military equipment costs money, while modern equipment requires investment of simply unthinkable funds by the standards of past eras. Moreover, the availability of money in itself does not guarantee success - in fact, with the introduction of new technology, difficulties are just beginning. This was once again shown by the example of the new KS-46 tanker aircraft, whose role in the US Air Force can be compared in importance only with the role of some F-22.
Dominance symbol
The KC-46 tanker was developed by Boeing on the basis of the Boeing KC-767 tanker, which, in turn, was created on the basis of the passenger Boeing 767. The KC-767 was developed for the Italian and Japanese air forces, which ordered four such aircraft each.
Much more ambitious plans for the KC-46, which should replace the entire fleet of KC-135 aircraft in the United States Air Force. Recall that in 2014, the US Air Force assigned the name Pegasus to the new KC-46A tanker aircraft.
The plane has something to brag about: at least on paper. The total amount of fuel for recoil on board is 94,198 kilograms. For comparison: the KC-135 Stratotanker has a maximum load of 54,432 kilograms of fuel. No less important is the widespread use of the latest technologies, which are designed to make the operation of aircraft as convenient and efficient as possible. One of the most important innovations is the remote monitoring and control system. Special 3D glasses were created for operators, which, in theory, allows for more efficient control of the refueling process. This system, as it turned out, could cost the pilots their lives. However, first things first.
Difficulties in the transition period
The first contract involves the delivery of 34 such aircraft, and the previously announced total number of KC-46 should be 179 units. The first difficulties very quickly made themselves felt. Last year, Popular Mechanics reported that the recently released KC-46 had delivered the Air Force in a completely inadequate way. At least ten new cars have found things that shouldn't be there. The military complained about loose tools and various debris. The situation turned out to be so serious that the American pilots refused to fly in the new tanker. They can be understood: poorly secured equipment can harm the aircraft during departure, which can lead to an accident or even a disaster.
One could forget about this story, if not for one "but". Boeing has been plagued by similar problems lately. In February it became known that debris was found in the fuel tanks of the Boeing 737 Max. Fragments of foreign objects were found by employees of the company during the maintenance of already built aircraft, which are located in the parking lot of the corporation in Seattle. It is also worth adding here many other problems of the Boeing 737 Max, which were revealed after two tragedies involving aircraft of this model - the terrible Boeing 737 disaster near Jakarta in 2018 and the equally terrible Boeing 737 disaster near Addis Ababa in 2019. Recall that the reason in both cases, according to experts, was the flight stabilization system MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System), which, according to the available information, can make the aircraft almost uncontrollable.
Problems of this kind have already had a significant impact on the company. In January 2020, the company did not receive a single order for the first time in almost 60 years. On the other hand, does this mean that all Boeing planes are "bad"? Not at all. The question, rather, is that after the aforementioned disasters, special attention has been riveted on the company, and each failure of the 737 Max becomes a subject for discussion in the media.
If we talk about the KS-46, then, in addition to the build quality, the aircraft has other difficulties, which we have already talked about earlier. In one of the new videos, you can see how, while refueling a US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter-bomber, the arrow of the KC-46 Pegasus refueling tanker hit a combat aircraft. Fortunately, then there were no casualties, and the combat vehicle successfully returned to base. This incident only confirmed the fears of experts that so far the KS-46 cannot effectively solve the tasks it faces.
The Pentagon understands this too. The US Department of Defense said that it requires Boeing to "critically analyze the hardware and software at the system level and reconstruct the fuel rod drive": the latter is intended to reduce its rigidity. Experts found that in the current version, the design exposes the tanker to unnecessary loads, which, in turn, leads to a decrease in the tanker's life and can cause accidents. The modernization contract is estimated at $ 55 million with completion by 2021. According to independent experts, the situation is even more serious than it seems at first glance: improvements may take at least three to four years.
These problems are superimposed on others, which are largely driven by the huge costs of the project. Now the cost of one KC-46 is estimated at about $ 150 million, which makes the tanker one of the most expensive aircraft in the US Air Force. On the other hand, with the launch of the machine in a large "series", one can expect a drop in its cost, even taking into account the upgrades. In general, the "childhood diseases" characteristic of any new technology will not kill the project, but in the future it will need to pass the test of time.
The tanker is not for stealth
The main problem for KS-46 could be the concept itself. Recall that at the time of the introduction of the aircraft into service, the US Air Force was already largely "invisible": only F-35s in different versions and for different customers, as of the beginning of 2020, had built about 500 units.
The use of the KC-46A Pegasus can play a cruel joke, since when refueling it will unmask stealth aircraft. By the way, a few years ago, experts from the Lockheed Martin division called Skunk Works offered the US Air Force an "invisible" tanker.
A tender for the US Navy played its role here, within the framework of which they should create an unobtrusive drone-tanker, previously designated MQ-25. As we know, Boeing won the competition, which was very unpleasant news for Lockheed Martin. And, of course, the company would like to "win back" the invested efforts …
