Boeing has suspended deliveries of KC-46 refueling tankers due to the discovery of cracks in the structure of two of the four new aircraft that were to be sent to the Military Supply Center.

This was reported by The War Zone.

The cracks were discovered by Boeing engineers on aircraft intended for the US Air Force, and because of this, the company announced the inspection of all already delivered aircraft of this type.

It is expected that all 89 KC-46 Pegasus aircraft would be inspected, as well as aircraft that had been transferred to the Japanese Air Self-Defense Forces.

“At this time, measures are being taken to temporarily halt the delivery until we fully understand the cause of the problem and implement an effective corrective action plan,” the Air Force said in response to The War Zone’s request.

It was also added in response to the request that after the cracks had been detected on the already delivered and accepted aircraft, they would be sent for repair, as Boeing is actively cooperating with the US Air Force.

“We are working closely with the customer to assess the potential issue with the KC-46A and mitigate any potential impact on the fleet and aircraft in production,” The War Zone reported after the crack inquiry.

It is noteworthy that the Pegasus project is facing many problems, despite the use of off-the-shelf technologies before mass production and transfer of the aircraft to the Air Force.

One of the problems was the use of low-quality cameras for refueling, which means that the operator could not always accurately establish contact with the aircraft due to the camera’s sunlight.

The aircraft also has problems with uncontrolled lowering of the refueling boom. The DOTE report for fiscal year 2024 states that the aircraft does not meet many suitability indicators.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that the US State Department had approved the sale of nine Boeing KC-46A military refueling tankers to Japan.

As part of this order, Japan will receive nine Boeing KC-46A refueling tankers and related equipment, which will allow the country to effectively support its own and allied aircraft in the air.