In the past decade, military operations in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq have reinforced the importance of air refueling tankers to successfully sustaining military operations.

When the U.S. Air Force expressed growing concern about the condition of 1950s-era 707-class aircraft and about the cost effectiveness of operating, maintaining and upgrading a tanker fleet, which is more than 40 years old, Boeing responded and began looking at candidates to replace the aging tankers. Not just for the United States, but for military services around the globe, as well.

“We looked at larger aircraft and smaller aircraft, and it was clear that the 767 was the right-size aircraft for the air refueling mission,” said Bob Gower, vice president of tanker programs.

The search led to the commercial development of the 767 Tanker Transport, based on the highly successful 767-200ER aircraft. The first contract for the new tanker was inked in late 2002 when Italy signed a deal for four 767 Tanker Transports. The first 767 under that contract was delivered to Wichita in July 2003 to begin the modification work. It will be delivered to the Italian Air Force in late 2005.

The next sale came in March 2003, when Japan signed a contract for four tanker aircraft with the first delivery scheduled for early 2007.

Both the Italian and Japanese aircraft will be equipped with General Electric CF6-80C2 engines and with Remote Aerial Refueling Operator II (RARO II) stations. But that’s where the similarities end. The versatile 767 platform can be configured to a specific customers’ needs.

For example, Japan’s tanker will be equipped with an air-refueling boom, while the Italian aircraft will have the boom as well as wing pods and centerline hose-and-drogue refueling systems. Additionally, the Italian aircraft will be equipped with the “convertible combi” interior, which allows it to be configured for all passengers, all cargo or a combination of passengers and cargo. Japan’s tanker will be configured with a “convertible freighter” interior, which means it can be converted from all-passenger to all-cargo configurations in only 5 hours. This capability is especially important to support U.N.-sponsored peacekeeping operations and humanitarian activities. The sales to Japan and Italy, however, are just the beginning of the tanker story.

In 2001, Congress authorized the Air Force to explore the viability of leasing 100 Boeing 767 tankers. The Secretary of the Air Force made it clear from the beginning of negotiations that the service would not proceed with a lease unless it could negotiate the best program value for both the American taxpayer and the American warfighter.

The final proposal submitted by the Air Force in July to Congress does just that. In May 2002, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that a tanker lease program could cost as much as $31 billion. But, working together, Boeing, the Air Force and the Office of Management and Budget have developed a lease program that is 50 percent less expensive than that original estimate. Under the terms of the proposed agreement, the Air Force will lease 100 KC-767A aircraft at a cost of $15.5 billion, with an option to buy for an additional $4.1 billion.

By leasing, the warfighter will get 100 new and more capable tankers five years earlier than under a direct government purchase. Additionally, a lease will allow the Air Force to accelerate the retirement of more than 100 of the oldest KC-135E tankers and capture $5.5 billion in maintenance and upgrade savings – savings that more than offset all lease-related interest. Also, the Air Force has been guaranteed “Most Favored Customer” pricing – meaning the taxpayers will receive a rebate if Boeing sells anyone a 767-200 “green” aircraft for less than the agreed-upon price.

The new KC-767A tanker will be the most modern and capable tanker in the world; it will off load 20 percent more fuel; will itself be re-fuelable in flight; will have significantly more passenger and cargo carrying capability; and will refuel aircraft types from the Air Force, Navy, Marines and our allies on the same mission.

Specific equipment includes an air-refueling boom, a centerline hose/drum unity, a RARO II station for the boom operator, 120 KVA generators, an air refueling receptacle (making the aircraft itself refuelable in the air), auxiliary fuel tanks, an advanced digital cockpit and growth provisions for “smart” tanker technology. It will be configured with the convertible freighter interior.

Additional sales of 767 tanker aircraft to other nations are also being pursued. In addition to the sales to Japan and Italy, other potential buyers include NATO, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Sweden, Norway, France, Korea and Israel. And in the United Kingdom, the 767 Tanker is being offered for that country’s innovative Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft program, a 27-year air-refueling services contract.

“We know we have the right product and the right team,” Gower said. “We’re looking forward to delivering the first 767 Tanker Transport in 2005 and many, many more in subsequent years.”