The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) ordered two more Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft, adding to its previous order of four.
According to a statement by the US Department of Defense, the contract is worth over $398 million, with the deliveries expected by 2030.
“This additional KC-46A acquisition reinforces the US-Japan security alliance to support security and stability throughout the Pacific region,” Will Shaffer, president of Boeing Japan, is quoted as saying in the company’s press release.
Japan ordered its first four KC-46s in 2016 becoming the tanker’s first international customer. Two of them were delivered in 2021 and 2022.
Widely criticized, marred by technical deficiencies, and highly unprofitable for Boeing, the KC-46 nonetheless received some attention on the international market, racking up orders from Japan and Israel, while several other countries considered purchasing it.