The United States Air Force intends to significantly expand its fleet of KC-46 Pegasus tanker aircraft, in a move that reinforces the renewal of U.S. aerial refueling capability.
The United States Air Force plans to increase its fleet of KC-46 Pegasus tanker aircraft to 319 units, according to information released by Aviation Week.
In its budget request for fiscal year 2027, the USAF allocated around US$ 3.5 billion for the purchase of 15 additional aircraft of the model. The decision indicates that the program is expected to take on a larger scale than previously planned.
The KC-46 Pegasus was developed to gradually replace the veteran KC-135 Stratotanker, an aircraft that for decades formed the backbone of America’s in-flight refueling capability.
Currently, the U.S. tanker aircraft fleet includes approximately 500 units, of which around 375 are still KC-135. With the advanced age of this fleet, the KC-46 has taken a central position in the Air Force’s modernization plans.
As the Pegasus is currently the only tanker aircraft of this type in production in the United States, the model has been given top-priority status within the efforts to rearm and renew U.S. military aviation.
In December 2025, the U.S. Air Force received KC-46 units number 99 and 100, a milestone considered important in the transition process toward a more modern fleet.
In addition to the planned replacement of older aircraft, the United States is also seeking to maintain enough capacity to offset operational losses and respond to scenarios of greater demand in future conflicts.
The expansion of the fleet to 319 units reinforces the strategic importance of aerial refueling for U.S. military operations, especially in long-range missions in the Indo-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and other regions of military interest.
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Source and images: Aviation Week | Boeing. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
