Federal government watchdogs are getting a little nervous about Boeing's ability to produce a new Air Force aerial tanker without some tough aerial testing. Auditors of the US Government Accountability Office worry that Boeing could be shaving off important test flights of the new KC-46 tanker to meet rigid production schedules for the Air Force.
Even though the overall acquisition cost of the new airplanes, built on the frame of the well-proven 767 passenger hauler, has gone down, the GAO auditors are concerned about cutbacks in the test flight schedule.
They wrote that Boeing completed only 3-and-a-half hours of testing in a single flight of a tanker, compared with about 400 hours originally planned.
Only three months of testing will be conducted prior to the Air Force's acceptance of the planes, rather than 13 months in the contract proposal.
The auditors wrote - quoting here - Boing is at risk of not being able to demonstrate the aerial refueling capabilities due to late parts deliveries, software defects and flight test cycle assumptions.
The Air Force agreed last year to delay its acceptance decision until next October because of wiring problems.
179 of the new tankers will replace the more than 50-year old KC 135s' , some of which fly out of Fairchild Air Force base in Spokane.
