The U.S. Air Force’s long-awaited upgrade to the KC-46 Pegasus tanker’s remote vision system (RVS) has slipped to summer 2027, putting the Boeing-led program more than three years behind its original schedule. The new timeline, confirmed by an Air Force spokesperson, marks the latest in a series of delays for the troubled RVS 2.0, which was initially expected to be fielded in 2023.
Certification and Technical Hurdles
Darlene Costello, the Air Force’s principal deputy assistant secretary for acquisition, technology, and logistics, told lawmakers that certification issues—particularly with the Federal Aviation Administration—have contributed to the latest setback. “There’s some assumptions baked into [the fiscal 2027 deadline] that we’re not sure are exactly appropriate, and we’re going to be looking at ways to bring that to the left,” Costello said during a House Armed Services subcommittee hearing.
Costello added, “The Air Force and Boeing are exploring opportunities to prevent or mitigate the slip in schedule.” She noted that a fully demonstrated version of RVS 2.0 exists in the Air Force’s lab, and the first installation on a KC-46 began in April, with flight testing set to start later this year.
Persistent Deficiencies
The KC-46’s original Collins-made RVS, developed in 2011, was designed to allow boom operators to refuel aircraft using cameras and screens instead of direct visual contact. However, the system has been plagued by issues such as glare, shadows, and depth perception problems, especially under certain lighting conditions. These deficiencies have led to increased risk of the refueling boom scraping or bumping receiving aircraft.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin told the House Appropriations Committee that the KC-46 currently has five category 1 deficiencies, two of which are related to the vision system. “It’s operating, it’s just not operating as we would expect it to,” Allvin said, predicting that RVS 2.0 might need another 18 months of work.
Boeing’s Response and Ongoing Issues
Boeing, which has absorbed more than $7 billion in losses on the KC-46 program, referred questions about the delay to the Air Force. The company’s CEO, Kelly Ortberg, recently told reporters that issues with the KC-46 and other Boeing defense programs are “well contained,” and that recent problems—such as cracks in the wing support structure—were quickly identified and repaired.
Costello confirmed that of the 89 KC-46s in the Air Force fleet, 21 were found to have cracks, with all but three now repaired. Deliveries of new tankers, which were halted in February, are set to resume next week.
Looking Ahead
Despite the setbacks, Air Force officials remain optimistic about the KC-46’s future. “The KC-46 are great tankers, and when they get the full RVS 2.0, there will be nothing that compares to it,” Costello said. Gen. Allvin added, “It is capable; it’s not optimal.”
The Air Force and Boeing continue to work closely to resolve the remaining issues, with weekly meetings and ongoing efforts to accelerate the RVS 2.0 timeline. The service is also studying whether a new generation of tankers will be needed in the future, as part of its broader Next-Generation Air Refueling System (NGAS) initiative.
For now, the KC-46 remains operational and cleared for worldwide missions, though it still cannot refuel certain aircraft, such as the A-10 Warthog, due to a separate issue with the refueling boom. As Costello emphasized, “We’re committed to fielding [RVS 2.0] earlier than summer 2027.”