The US Department of Defense has awarded Boeing more than $7 billion in contracts to build AH-64E Apache helicopters for the US Army and additional KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft for the US Air Force.
This announcement follows Washington's separate agreements with the aerospace company for MH‑47Gs for the US Special Operations Command, CH-47F Chinooks for the army, and support services for airframes sold to allied military forces via foreign military sales.
Apache Package for Army
The US Army's portion is a $4.6-billion firm-fixed-price contract covering new-build AH-64E Apaches, crew trainers for the rotorcraft's training variant Longbow, and related parts and support.
Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, through May 2032, with about $2.2 billion funded through foreign military sales to Poland, Egypt, and Kuwait.
This award will extend the Apache production line beyond its earlier 2028 timeline.
The AH-64E, the latest version of the long-running attack helicopter platform, has accumulated more than five million flight hours since entering service in the 1980s.
The model uses an open architecture system that allows flexible updates to sensors, weapons, and software to keep pace with modern threats.
More Pegasus Tankers for Air Force
Boeing also received a $2.4-billion contract modification from the US Air Force for the next production lot of KC-46A refueling tankers.
The package includes 15 aircraft and associated mobility data system licenses. Work will be performed in Seattle and is scheduled to finish by June 2029, bringing total KC-46 orders worldwide to 183.
The KC-46, based on the Boeing 767 airframe, is central to replacing the air force's aging KC-135 Stratotankers first introduced during the Eisenhower era.
Despite facing recurring design issues, particularly with its camera-based Remote Vision System and refueling boom, the service continues to procure new tankers to avert any production gaps as its broader modernization plans proceed.
McGhee Tyson Base Selected for KC-46A Fleet
Prior to the contract, the US Air Force identified the McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base in Knoxville, Tennessee, as its preferred location for the next KC-46A main operating base.
The service first named the installation in September 2024 as one of seven candidate sites to house the new fleet.
Its supervising command, the 134th Air Refueling Wing, has already made major facility upgrades to support the transition, including a new 10,000-foot (3,048-meter) runway costing $134 million and a $32.4 million maintenance hangar built specifically for KC-46 operations.
"The KC-46's advanced capabilities, increased reliability, and enhanced operational reach make us better able to meet this critical moment and the demands of tomorrow," said Maj. Gen. Duke Pirak, acting director of the Air National Guard. "The 134th ARW is a great fit for this responsibility."