The next step in refueling

The KC-767A tanker/transport makes its formal debut

BY MARC SKLAR

The newest Boeing aerial refueling tanker/transport, the KC-767A, is undergoing preparations for first flight after making its formal debut. Bathed in lights of the green, white and red of the Italian flag, the aircraft rolled out at the Boeing plant in Wichita, Kan., in late February.

The KC-767A builds on a six-decade tradition of Boeing leadership in air-to-air refueling that would amaze those who first transferred fuel between aircraft in flight using a five-gallon gas can more than 80 years ago.

Italy's air force launched the tanker program with its selection in 2001 of four KC-767s for its tanker/transport modernization, and will take delivery of the rollout aircraft in 2006. The Japan Defense Agency also has ordered three KC-767As, with a fourth expected to be ordered in 2005.

Leaders from the Italian Air Force joined senior Boeing executives, supplier and customer representatives and several hundred teammates at the rollout ceremony as gossamer curtains dramatically dropped to reveal the aircraft.

"In this century, the armed forces have to meet the demands of the less predictable and more complex operational environment," said Gen. Giovanni Sciandra, who represented the Italian Air Force at the event.

"These require concentrating on the traits of speed, precision, agility, deployability and sustainability," said Sciandra, who leads the Italian Air Force Logistics Command. "The KC-767A represents the fulfillment of one of the most important goals in the Italian Air Force transport and support fleet modernization process."

Million engineering hours

"Our heart and soul is in this aircraft behind me as well as in this program," said O'Neill, adding that Boeing and the Italian Air Force dedicated nearly 1 million engineering hours and 200,000 manufacturing hours to reaching the rollout.

"This is the most advanced and capable tanker produced to date," said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.

In addition to the aircraft's impressive performance and systems characteristics, it has been designed to be easily upgradeable.

"It incorporates an open architecture that allows for the information and communication advances of tomorrow to be easily integrated into this system ... ensuring that this airplane will remain relevant for many decades to come," Albaugh said.

'Worked as one team'

Not only does the aircraft represent new milestones for performance and technological advancement, it achieved new heights of cooperation, teamwork, integration and Lean manufacturing in the way it was designed and built.

One example: integrating the mechanics who would perform the work into preplanning.

"The leanest thing we did was working with the mechanics up front," said Steve Reichard, KC-767 Operations manager. "They really increase the efficiency because they are the people who need to know what's going on. I wouldn't do it any other way.

"This coordination extended outside Boeing and even overseas. "We had teams in Italy working with Alenia and with Vought (in Fort Worth, Texas)," said mechanic Ben Stegman. "We had a lot better fit on all the parts because of better coordination." Alenia played a key role in all phases of the KC-767A program, including design, development, production and logistics support; Vought produced the 767 tail section, which houses the refueling boom.

Another key was the cooperation within Boeing between IDS and Commercial Airplanes, which built the 767-200ER base airplane that was converted to tanker configuration by Boeing's Wichita Development and Modification Center. This gives the KC-767A the advantage of an existing, worldwide commercial airline logistics network that allows it to operate at a lower cost than any tanker before, program leaders said.

"This first airplane is an excellent example of bringing together the many parts of Boeing, and it resulted in a product that is the most advanced tanker in the world," said Dan Rahkonen, 767 Military Derivatives leader, Program Management Office in Commercial Airplanes.

And O'Neill told the rollout audience the result of all the inter- and intra-company collaboration "is the most modern, most capable and affordable refueling aircraft in the world." Among its capabilities:

• The ability to refuel two aircraft simultaneously through two wing-mounted hose-and-drogue systems, and a third aircraft either through the tail-mounted advanced refueling boom or the under-tail hose and drum unit.

• The ability to refuel all types of Italian Air Force and NATO nations aircraft.

• Single operator control of all refueling operations, using an advanced Remote Aerial Refueling Operator Station.

• A convertible passenger/freighter interior that can carry 200 passengers and bags, or 100 passengers and 10 cargo pallets, or 19 cargo pallets.

• Open architecture flight deck.

• The ability to take off at maximum weight from an 8,000-foot (2,400-meter) runway.

• An in-place worldwide support network for the 767.

That unparalleled performance puts the KC-767A in the running for a number of upcoming international tanker/transport buys."We are also ready to provide the most advanced aerial tanker solution for the U.S. Air Force when they determine their tanker recapitalization needs," O'Neill said.

Gen. Sciandra agreed. "I am looking forward to seeing this magnificent bird landing at our base in Pratica di Mare," he said.

marc.a.sklar@boeing.com