Lockheed Martin will offer the Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport based aerial refueling aircraft dubbed LMXT for US Air Force' KC-...
The KC-Y tanker program will bridge the gap after Boeing stops production of new KC-46A tanker which is being inducted to US Air Force, in 2029.
US Air Force plans the KC-Y to be a low risk aircraft to be derived from a commercial aircraft only, based on existing and emerging technologies with a full and open acquisition competition. Neither developmental stealth nor unmanned capability is planned.
The KC-135 Stratotanker will be 70 years old when the Air Force expects to receive its last KC-46 delivery in 2029, and replacing these vital aircraft continues to be critical to the Air Force mission to project Rapid Global Mobility in today’s strategically competitive environment.
The LMXT offers a proven airframe with distinct U.S. Air Force-only capabilities designed to meet operator requirements, with advantages that include, significantly improved range and fuel offload capacity, A proven fly-by-wire boom currently certified and used by allies to refuel U.S. Air Force receiver aircraft in operations around the world, world's first fully automatic boom/air-to-air refueling (A3R) system, Operational and combat proven advanced camera and vision system, Open system architecture JADC2 systems.
Lockheed says the aircraft will be built in USA, which is now made in Europe.
