KC-45 »
Tomorrow's tanker, ready today
The EADS North America KC-45 tanker is the only aircraft in the U.S. Air Force tanker competition that is real: in production, certified, flying and refueling today.
A Superior Platform
The KC-45 is a version of the same tanker that has won the last five head-to-head tanker competitions against Boeing 767-based tankers, including the 2008 U.S. Air Force competition. A total of 28 EADS tankers currently are in development for America’s allies, with the first deliveries planned for 2010.
The Refueling Solution
The KC-45’s advanced refueling systems have been demonstrated and qualified in a full range of operational conditions, unlike our competitor’s proposed systems. Its all-electric, fly-by-wire Aerial Refueling Boom System (ARBS) delivers fuel at 1,200 gallons per minute, meeting a key requirement for the U.S. Air Force's new tanker. Moreover, the KC-45’s all-digital hose-and-drogue refueling pods are the most modern in service today, with proven capabilities. Boeing has yet to successfully deliver on its promised capabilities on the 767 platform.
The American Tanker
The success of the KC-45 will result from American ingenuity. It will be built for the Air Force by Americans at a new state-of-the-art production center in Mobile, Alabama, with tens of thousands of American workers across the country providing parts and supplies.
