Qatar Approves Purchase of Up to Four Boeing KC-46 Tankers

The US State Department has approved a possible sale of up to four Boeing KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling aircraft to Qatar for an estimated $4.5 billion. The proposed configuration includes eight Pratt & Whitney PW4062 engines, including four spares, and a substantial package of defensive systems, equipment, training, spare parts, and logistical support.

Qatar has been evaluating tanker options since 2014, when the country selected the Airbus A330 MRTT but never received deliveries. The requirement resurfaced in 2020, when the UK Royal Air Force helped the Qatar Emiri Air Force evaluate options for a potential tanker acquisition.

Boeing would provide the KC-46As, while Pratt & Whitney, RTX, and Northrop Grumman would serve as principal contractors for the proposed package. If the purchase proceeds, Qatar would become the fourth country to order the KC-46, after the US Air Force, Japan, and Israel.