America's KC-46A Pegasus is a refueling 'blockbuster' or an airborne 'disaster'?

Three consecutive serious incidents of KC-46A tanker aircraft caused nearly $23 million in damage: is the US Air Force's trump card really reliable?

The US Air Mobility Command (AMC) has just revealed the results of its investigation into three serious incidents involving the new generation KC-46A Pegasus tanker. In just a few years, the nozzle jamming incidents have cost the US Air Force nearly $23 million in damages, not to mention another accident that occurred in July 2025 and is awaiting the results of the investigation.

This series of accidents not only raises questions about the safety of the Pegasus, but also poses a major challenge to the aerial refueling capability - one of the pillars of the US Air Force's strength. Each time the nozzle gets stuck, the crew and the entire fighter squadron face the risk of falling into a situation "just seconds away from disaster".

According to Air Mobility Command, three reported crashes between 2022 and 2024 caused an estimated $23 million in damage. Another incident in July 2025 is still under investigation. While there were no casualties, the mechanical damage revealed a serious weakness in the refueling boom design.

The first incident occurred on October 15, 2022, when a KC-46A from the 305th Air Mobility Squadron refueled an F-15E Strike Eagle. The nozzle became stuck, then suddenly sprang up and hit the rear of the tanker. The collision caused no casualties but caused more than $8.3 million in damage and shook the entire squadron.

Less than a month later, on November 7, 2022, another KC-46A encountered a similar situation while refueling an F-22 Raptor stealth fighter. The nozzle became stuck in the F-22’s fuel tank, forcing it to be removed and completely damaged. The damage, though smaller at around $103,000, continued to expose the inherent weaknesses of the system.

The most worrying incident occurred on August 21, 2024, when a KC-46A from the 22nd Fighter Wing was on a mission supporting Operation Noble Eagle. The nozzle became stuck in the F-15E’s hold, then popped up, repeatedly hitting and partially breaking off the refueling boom in mid-flight. The KC-46A was forced to make an emergency landing at Travis Air Force Base. The incident caused more than $14.3 million in damage.

The crash also caused a bomb to fall in an open field near Santa Maria, California. While there were no casualties, the incident highlighted the immediate risk to ground safety if a refueling boom were to break off in flight. This is considered the most serious in a series of incidents involving the Pegasus.

In July 2025, another KC-46A went into emergency mode while refueling F-22s over the eastern United States. The aircraft was forced to land at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. This clearly shows that the problem has not been completely resolved.

The root cause of the series of incidents lies in the limitations of the refueling control system. The operator can easily accidentally apply the wrong force, causing the nozzle to get stuck in the fighter's fuel tank and bounce back, causing serious damage to the KC-46 itself.

In addition, reports also pointed out many other secondary factors such as: the pilot did not report the change in engine power, the "stiff" characteristics of the KC-46's tail caused the aircraft to retract faster than expected, or the fighter did not have time to perform the emergency separation procedure. Small details combined to turn a technical problem into a dangerous collision.

The KC-46 has been plagued by other problems, most notably its Remote Vision System (RVS), which uses cameras and sensors to control the nozzles. The RVS upgrade is at least three years behind schedule and unlikely to be completed before 2027, meaning the entire Pegasus fleet will continue to operate in suboptimal condition.

The tens of millions of dollars in damage are just the tip of the iceberg; the KC-46 incident also directly threatens combat missions. Having one aircraft withdrawn from the formation means the fighter jet loses its refueling source, potentially disrupting missions. With the KC-135 and KC-10 aging, the big question is: when will the Pegasus be truly reliable?

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