The Air Force and prime contractor Boeing [BA] said yesterday they successfully completed the critical design review (CDR) of the KC-46A next-generation aerial refueling tanker over a three-day period in early July.
The Air Force said in a statement the CDR still has a few actions to finish, but the process is scheduled to complete “well in advance” of the Sept. 24 contractual date. Once the CDR is complete, Boeing will proceed into the fabrication, hardware and software integration and test phase of the KC-46A development program.
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| Boeing’s KC-46A (right). Air Force illustration. |
Boeing spokesman Jerry Drelling said yesterday in a statement the CDR took place two-and-a-half months ahead of schedule. Drelling also said the company has begun building the first engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) aircraft and remains on track to deliver the first tanker to the Air Force in 2016 and the first 18 by 2017. The Air Force said the first fully-equipped KC-46 is projected to fly in support of EMD activities in 2015.
“Boeing believes the review went well and initial feedback from our customer has been positive,” Drelling said.
The CDR was the culmination of nine months of component and sub-system design reviews, according to the Air Force.