Copy of a post of I just made on iHub debunking no
Post# of 2306
Your sources are clueless. Of course the USAF KC-46A is being cleared to refuel the F/A-18 - along with every other aircraft type in the US DoD inventory regardless of refueling method.
The USAF conducts the majority of refueling of USN / USMC hose and drogue method tanking tasks - and all Special Operations Command hose and drogue tanking as well.
The KC-46A is not going to be divested from the USAF inventory - it will be made to work as it has many other missions to perform - which I won't be mentioning here - hence the miles of wiring in it, EMP hardening etc that make it so expensive.
All that is in the balance is that the full number of KC-46As for follow on orders under what was originally the KC-Y tanker recapitalization program are not likely to be forthcoming if the US TRANSCOM study currently being carried out for SecAF shows that one of the several published options for contractor provided aircraft will be cheaper whilst achieving mission requirements. Those aircraft would be in addition to currently ordered KC-46A - not instead of.
Furthermore, the USN will continue to run its own AAR contracts for "non-hostile area" AAR until such time as any large scale US TRANSCOM run contract subsumes it.
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