The first two Boeing KC-767 aerial refueling tankers for the Italian Air Force (ItAF) today formally entered into service.
Italy has ordered four KC-767 Tanker Transport aircraft, designed for in-flight aerial refueling and strategic transport, to replace the ItAF Boeing 707T/T fleet. Since their delivery, the first two KC-767 tankers have been engaged in aerial refueling training missions with ItAF crews. The Italian Air Force KC-767A can be configured to carry all passengers, all cargo, or a combination of passengers and cargo. In any configuration, the KC-767 provides an aerial refueling boom with a remote aerial refueling operator station, as well as wing pod and centerline hose and drogue systems, and a refueling receptacle.
The Boeing KC-767 is a military aerial refueling and strategic transport aircraft developed from the Boeing 767-200ER. The tanker has been developed for the Italian and Japanese air forces, who ordered four tankers each. Financing of the development of the aircraft has largely been borne by Boeing, in that it hoped to get major orders from the U.S. Air Force. Boeing’s revised KC-767 proposal to the U.S. Air Force was selected in February 2011 for the KC-X program.
Source: Boeing
Photo: (c) Boeing