Flying today »
Building on success
A proven, state-of-the-art tanker fleet is essential for American global power projection and homeland defense. Our warfighters need and deserve the best equipment, and they need it right now. EADS North America is uniquely capable of meeting this challenge today with our KC-45, the only tanker aircraft now in production and flying. With some of the most experienced U.S. Air Force tanker veterans involved in its design, our aircraft is made by the U.S. warfighter, for the U.S. warfighter.
In Demand
The Air Force asked that its next aerial refueling tanker be based on an advanced, proven commercial platform, and the KC-45 delivers. It is based on the incredibly successful A330 airliner, with excellent performance and superior reliability validated through millions of flight hours.
Success of a commercial airliner depends on two factors: performance and economics. The A330 has become the unquestioned market leader in its category, thanks to its optimized size, excellent payload capacity, modern design and low operating costs.
It has consistently outsold its competitor, with more than 1,080 orders worldwide. Boeing’s 767 platform, meanwhile, is in the sunset of its service years – an airplane of limited interest to commercial customers.
Proven Value
The KC-45's greater fuel off-load capability and longer range are key operational advantages and key to its value, allowing the Air Force to support critical refueling missions with fewer tankers airborne.
The KC-45’s range and superior takeoff performance allow it to operate from more airfields farther away from the battle. KC-45 deployments also will benefit from the existing infrastructure at civilian airports worldwide, which support more than 670 A330s now in service.
