Boeing is ramping up inspections after the US Air Force rejected its new KC-46 tanker planes again
- The United States Air Force has once again rejected taking delivery of new Boeing KC-46 Pegasus tanker jets after discovering foreign object debris (FOD) left inside the aircraft by Boeing workers.
- According to the USAF, its inspectors found tools and other debris inside the planes.
- This is the second time in a month the Air Force has halted delivery of the KC-46 for the same reason.
- Boeing delivered its first KC-46 tanker in January.
The United States Air Force has once again rejected taking delivery of new Boeing KC-46 Pegasus tanker jets after discovering foreign object debris (FOD) left inside the aircraft by Boeing workers. This is the second time the USAF has stopped accepting deliveries of new KC-46s this year for the same exact reason, Reuters reported.
The Air Force initially halted deliveries of the Boeing 767 airliner-based tanker planes for two weeks in early March. At the time, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Will Roper, told reporters that debris such as tools was left in parts of the plane that could be a potential safety hazard, Defense News reported.
According to Reuters, the Air Force decided to halt deliveries again on March 23.
"The Air Force again halted acceptance of new KC-46 tanker aircraft as we continue to work with Boeing to ensure that every aircraft delivered meets the highest quality and safety standards," a USAF spokesperson told the Air Force Times in an emailed statement. "This week our inspectors identified additional foreign object debris and areas where Boeing did not meet quality standards."
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"Resolving this issue is a company and program priority - Boeing is committed to delivering FOD-free aircraft to the Air Force," Boeing told Business Insider in a statement. "Although we've made improvements to date, we can do better."
"We are currently conducting additional company and customer inspections of the jets and have implemented preventative action plans," the Boeing statement went on to say. "We have also incorporated additional training, more rigorous clean-as-you-go practices and FOD awareness days across the company to stress the importance and urgency of this issue. Safety and quality are our highest priority."
Boeing commenced deliveries of the KC-46 tanker in January. The plane was originally slated for delivery to the Air Force in 2017. However, development delays pushed the plane's entry into service back.
The KC-46 is expected to replace the USAF's aging fleet of Boeing 707-based KC-135 tankers.