The U.S. DoD has awarded Boeing a new $4 billion contract, including extra KC-46 tankers and P-8A Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA).
The large-scale contract includes seven P-8A Poseidon jet-powered MPAs and 15 KC-46 tanker aircraft.
Currently, the U.S. Navy operates 44 P-8A MPA as its multi-purpose naval aircraft, while the USAF operates 89 KC-46 tankers to refuel its fighter jets.
P-8A is a development of the Boeing 737 series of airliners with a wide range of sensor and weapon options. Like most modern MPAs, the P-8A can carry torpedoes and sonobuoys alongside multi-function radars. In addition to this, the jet-powered MPA can use AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles for the role of anti-surface warfare.
KC-46, like P-8A, was developed from an airliner as a successor to the KC-135 Stratotanker. While the KC-46 is to replace most of the KC-135 fleet, the USAF is considering new options for aerial refuelling capability, such as low-observable tankers with some features similar to that of the B-2 Spirit bomber.
