Posted on 08/10/2015 3:07:43 PM PDT by Diogenesis
Israel is working to convert Boeing 767 into a long-flight refueling tanker
"US defense and air industry sources report that the Israeli Air Force may give up
on the US Boeing’s KC-46A Pegasus as its future refueling tanker for long-range
flights because of delays in its delivery." 
"Israel had first planned to take the Pegasus to replace its converted Boeing 707
when delivery was first to the US Air Force was scheduled for August 2017.
But this week, the company put the date back by another eight months and
the price increased by half a billion dollars.
American sources point out that if Israel wants to retain the option of attacking
Iran’s nuclear facilities when Barack Obama exits the White House
in January 2017, it can’t wait for the brand-new US Pegasus tanker, which doubles
as a military transport plane, to come off the Boeing production line and be delivered
to its air force.
....
On July 22, debkafile’s military sources revealed a mammoth transaction for Iran
to purchase Russian UL78 MK1 (Midas) tankers with a range of 7,300km.
(The distance from Iran to Israel is 1,200km).
Each tanker is capable of spontaneously feeding 6-8 fighter craft.
Israel Aerospace Industries [IAI] is therefore working at top speed on the Boeing 767,
a long-range, wide-body, twin-engine jet airliner with a range of 7,000 to 11,000 km."
(Excerpt) Read more at debka.com ...
Funny, so is the USA. The 767 is the next generation tanker born as the KC-46.
I’m sure it’s just a coincidence.
What does that even mean?
The IL-78 can refuel up to three aircraft simultaneously, but I don't think it can do so spontaneously. A little forethought needs to go into the decision to unreel the hoses and refuel aircraft.
That would explain El Al’s purchase of 787’s to replace both their 767’s and 747’s. That way El Al would get a modern fleet for their passenger service while freeing the 767 fleet to be sold off to the IDF for conversion into tankers.
http://worldairlinenews.com/2015/08/05/el-al-to-order-and-lease-up-to-15-boeing-787-dreamliners/
I don’t see why they convert 767s into long range bombers capable of dropping large bunker busting bombs. The 767 refueling aircraft could refuel F-15s to provide escort all the way to Iran.
Where are the hard points for attaching bombs to the wings? The 767 wing unlike the A330/A340 wing was not designed for 4 engines. The A330 MRTT uses the place where the A340 engine #1 and #4 pylons would be attached as the point where refueling drogue pods are attached.
The 767 cargo bay would have to be redesigned with a pressure bulkhead like the P-8 (737-ERX) for an internal bomb bay. I bet that would be both expensive and difficult to retrofit into an already existing 767. It makes more sense to use their F-15's and F-16's and use the 767 tanker to extend their range.
So the real point is that Israel wants to have operational tankers at 12:00 pm EST January 20, 2017. That's 19:00 Eastern European Time which Israel also uses.
The first KC-46A is an off the shelf 767 configured as a demonstrator for the refuelling mission. It does not have militarized comm and avionics equipment that follow-on units will.
I'm sure it is commercially available "as is".
Shhhsh!
Of course Israel doesn’t know a damn thing about secure coms or anything else. Right.
i think the planes show up out of thin air, like poof, so they can get refueled. maybe via a transporter. Israelis are pretty smart.
Debka. Enough said.
I’m sure they have their own preferences for secure and military communications packages.
That is an assumption that I hope the Israelis have taken into consideration. Besides, hussein may already have cooked something else up before then.
The USAF will BUILD new tanker variants based on the 767 design.
IAI, on the other hand, is refurbishing existing 767s for the tanker/transport role.
The story line contained that information. El AL is retiring it’s 767 fleet and IAI is converting them to tankers. In the process El AL is buying more and newer Boeing jets for it’s fleet.
I'm sure it is commercially available "as is".
It's deliberately developed with Boeing's money so they can sell it as a commercially available aircraft. If that part of the aircraft had been financed and certified by the USAF, Boeing wouldn't be allowed to sell it commercially.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.