The US State Department said on the 20th it has approved a proposed foreign
military sale to Qatar of up to four KC-46A aerial refueling tankers and
associated equipment and services, valued at up to $4.5 bln. Qatar’s request
includes engines, radar-warning receivers, infrared countermeasures and related
support services. The State Department said the sale would strengthen the
security of a US strategic regional partner, support US foreign policy and
national security objectives, improve Qatar’s defense and interoperability with
US and allied forces, and bolster its regional strategic role. The KC-46A, built
by Boeing on a 767 airframe, is the US Air Force’s latest tanker; first delivery
occurred in Jan 2019. Boeing describes the platform as providing refueling plus
multi-mission combat capabilities and data transmission functions.
