Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told Pentagon acquisition officials in November that he is "unwilling (totally)" to accept flawed KC-46 tankers from Boeing, which is leading the effort to replace the aging KC-135 tanker aircraft, according to Bloomberg.
Mattis has had limited involvement in the Pentagon's weapons programs, but he is the latest defense chief to comment on the 16-year-long effort to replace the Air Force's tanker.
Boeing won a contract to develop the new tanker in 2011, and the Air Force expects to buy 179 KC-46s. But the $44.5 billion program has been plagued by technical problems and cost overruns.
Under the contract signed with the government, Boeing is responsible for costs beyond the Air Force's $4.82 billion commitment. So far, the defense contractor has eaten about $2.9 billion in pretax costs.
The KC-46 program has been stymied by delays for years.
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http://www.businessinsider.com/mattis-warning-boeing-air-force-kc-46-tanker-program-2017-12
