Boeing KC - 767 The Boeing KC - 767 is a military aerial refueling and strategic transport aircraft developed from the Boeing 767 - 200ER . The tanker received the designation KC - 767A in 2002 , after being selected by the US Air Force initially to replace older KC - 135Es . In December 2003 , the contract was frozen and later canceled due to corruption allegations . 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 the hope of receiving 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 under the designation KC - 46 . Development . Commercial Derivative Air Refueling Aircraft . The U . S . Air Force ( USAF ) ran a procurement program to replace about 100 of its oldest KC - 135E Stratotankers , part of the " Commercial Derivative Air Refueling Aircraft " program . Most USAF KC - 135s are of the updated KC - 135R variant . On 28 March 2002 , the Air Force selected Boeing ' s KC - 767 stating they " have clearly demonstrated that only the Boeing Corp . can currently meet the requirements " . The USAF was listed as giving four main reasons for this selection of the KC - 767 over Airbus ' s KC - 330 ( aircraft ' s name at the time ) . In addition , the KC - 767 has manual flight controls with an unrestricted flight envelope . The Boeing tanker officially received the " KC - 767A " designation from the U . S . DoD in 2002 and appearing in the 2004 edition of DoD Model Designation report . USAF lease and cancellation . For its Commercial Derivative Air Refueling Aircraft program , the U . S . Air Force decided to lease around 100 KC - 767 tankers from Boeing after it was selected . Despite other nations engaging in leasing of military aircraft , there was some criticism . U . S . Senator John McCain questioned whether it is really cost - effective for the USAF to " lease " aircraft at all , particularly as the aircraft would probably not have many , if any , buyers when their military service was concluded . This was derided as an uninformed criticism , as there were many U . S . allies in need of tanker aircraft . The Congressional Budget Office has also criticized the draft leasing agreement as fiscally irresponsible . In November 2003 , a compromise was struck where the Air Force would purchase 80 KC - 767 aircraft and lease 20 more . In December 2003 , the Pentagon announced the project was to be frozen while an investigation of allegations of corruption by one if its former procurement staffers , Darleen Druyun ( who had moved to Boeing in January ) was begun . Reporter Joseph Galloway wrote that some documents found in congressional investigation indicated the A330 - based tanker met more of the USAF specifications than the Boeing tanker and had a lower proposed cost . Druyun pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine months in jail for " negotiating a job with Boeing at the same time she was involved in contracts with the company " . Additional fallout included the termination of CFO Michael M . Sears , who was sentenced to four months in prison in 2005 , and the resignation of Boeing CEO Philip M . Condit . The Air Force ' s KC - 767A contract was officially canceled by the DoD in January 2006 . International programs . Italian Air Force . Boeing continued development of the aircraft . Italy selected the KC - 767A and signed a contract in 2002 becoming the launch customer , with delivery set for 2005 . The Italian Air Force ( " Aeronautica Militare " ) ordered four aircraft . This version is based on the 767 - 200ER and is named the " KC - 767 Tanker Transport " , and is fitted with boom and hose - drogue refueling systems on the centerline with hose - drogue wingpod systems . Italy ' s aircraft became the first KC - 767 to be assembled . The aircraft are initially built as 767 - 200ER commercial airplanes , then flown to a separate facility for conversion into tankers . Italy ' s first aircraft made its maiden flight on 21 May 2005 . Italy ' s second aircraft arrived for modification at the Naples , Italy facility of Boeing ' s partner , Aeronavali on 6 May 2005 . Delivery of the tankers to the Italian Air Force was delayed due to an issue with flutter of the wing pods and other technical issues . Boeing provided a 767 for training during this time . After resolving the issues , Boeing delivered the first KC - 767 in January , and the second in March 2011 . These aircraft officially entered service on 17 May 2011 . After entering service , the two KC - 767s have supported NATO operations in Afghanistan and Libya . The final two tankers were delivered in late 2011 . Japan Self - Defense Forces . In 2001 , Japan selected the KC - 767 over the Airbus A310 MRTT and signed a contract in 2003 . The Japan Self - Defense Forces ordered four aircraft and has designated the tanker " KC - 767J " . In June 2005 , Japan ' s first aircraft arrived at Boeing ' s Wichita , Kansas modification center to be fitted out with the tanker equipment . Delivery of the first KC - 767J for the JASDF was delayed approximately two years due to development issues and the addition of the aircraft receiving FAA certification . The Japanese version of the tanker is equipped only with the boom refueling system . Boeing and its Japanese representative Itochu agreed with Japan Ministry of Defense ( MoD ) to pay a penalty fee for the delivery delay , according to the MoD Statement . The first operational KC - 767A was delivered to Japan on 19 February 2008 , with the second KC - 767 following on 5 March . The third KC - 767 was delivered to the JASDF in March 2009 . The three KC - 767J aircraft reached initial operational capability ( IOC ) status with the JASDF in May 2009 . The fourth tanker was delivered in January 2010 . Others . Australia selected the Airbus A330 MRTT in April 2004 after competition with the KC - 767 due to the A330 ' s larger fuel and cargo capability . Boeing , teamed with BAE Systems and British Airways , offered the KC - 767 to the UK ' s RAF for its Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft . The companies formed the Tanker Transport Services Consortium ( TTSC ) . British Airways would provide the 767 aircraft . Boeing would provide the conversion technology based on its KC - 767 tanker design . BAE Systems would perform the majority of aircraft modifications . Marshall Aerospace , Serco , Spectrum , and Capital were also part of TTSC . The Ministry of Defence announced in January 2004 that it had selected the Airbus A330 MRTT to fulfill this requirement . USAF KC - X Program . On 24 February 2011 , Boeing ' s KC - 767 proposal was selected by the USAF as the winning offer to replace part of the KC - 135 fleet . The aircraft will receive the designation KC - 46A . Boeing was also awarded a development contract to build , and deliver 18 initial operational KC - 46 tankers by 2017 . Operational history . Flight testing . On 23 January 2007 , the KC - 767 flight test aircraft set a program milestone by making its first hookup with a receiver aircraft , a B - 52 Stratofortress . The " dry contact " transferred no fuel , but was intended to test the tanker ' s fifth - generation fly - by - wire telescoping boom . Unlike the KC - 135 boom operator , who is prone , the KC - 767 operator uses a remote station with a video display . The testing is being done at Edwards Air Force Base , and the test aircraft is destined for Italy once testing is complete . The KC - 767 extended its air refueling boom and transferred fuel to another aircraft for the first time on 5 March 2007 . The tanker completed another test milestone on 12 April 2007 when its aircrew successfully extended and retracted both wing refueling hoses . Flight testing has resumed on Japan ' s tanker after modifications were completed . In November 2007 , Boeing decided to shift modification work on the KC - 767A tankers for Italy and Japan from subcontractor Aeronavali ' s facility in Italy to Boeing ' s Wichita facility in an effort to meet delivery schedules .