Boeing 767-400 ER as new KC-767 alternative

The Pentagon has changed the RFP for the KC-X competition to award extra points for fuel offload that surpasses the fuel offload requirement. This puts the KC-767 that is based on the 767-200F at a disadvantage to the A330 tanker competition.

A more competitive KC-767 may be a tanker based on the Boeing 767-400 ER, albeit with a shortened fuselage. Such a KC-767 tanker will have the following advantages:

Boeing 767-400ER

1. Easier and cheaper to implement since you need only to remove parts of the fuselage, no new wing and wing interface design, production and testing.

2. More capacity with its bigger wings, engine and fuselage.

3. More updated design and cockpit.

4. More efficient and lighter empty weight than the A-330.

The Pentagon has extended lifetime costs comparison to 40 years but separated it into near acquisition and long past acquisition periods. This is quite odd that may favor a cheaper plane to acquire but on the long term will cost more to operate and support.

The Boeing 767-400ER as the KC-767 may be more competitive than the 767-200F in this area since it will be less complex to implement, thus lower acquisition cost.