There is risk to the current delivery schedule for the Air Force’s KC-46 tanker program due to potential delays in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification and key test events, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) says in a March 24 report.
GAO says prime contractor Boeing [BA] must complete over 1,700 test points, on average, for each month from February through September, a level that is more than double what it completed in the last 11 months. The audit office says program officials agree that there is risk to Boeing’s test completion rate until it obtains FAA approval for the design of all parts, including the pods, but test mitigation strategies are underway.
In good news for Boeing and the Air Force, GAO says the program’s total acquisition cost estimate has decreased about $7.3 billion, or 14 percent, since the initial estimate. GAO attributes this to no requirement changes and fewer engineering change than expected.
Boeing spokesman Chick Ramey said Friday the company continues to make steady progress in flight test and is working closely with the Air Force to ensure they are aligned on the test schedule. Ramey said the majority of developmental testing is complete, which reduces risk to the certification and verification testing.
Additionally, Ramey said, Boeing expects to be much more efficient during the second half of testing now that the design has stabilized. Boeing still plans to deliver the first KC-46 tanker to the Air Force by the end of the year, Ramey said.