Air Force Tests Boeing-Developed Aircraft Refueling Tanker to Ensure Compliance with FAA Requirements

The U.S. Air Force has begun tests on a Boeing-built aerial refueling tanker to validate the aircraft’s capacity to meet Federal Aviation Administration certification requirements.

The service branch said Tuesday the KC-46A will undergo tests at the Benefield Anechoic Facility within the Edwards Air Force Base in California to evaluate the platform’s compliance with Defense Department electromagnetic environmental effects requirements.

The tests will evaluate the system’s shield effectiveness, capacity to moderate emission and perform missions in radiated fields.

The report noted that the tests will also help ensure that the KC-46A does not experience performance degradation which may impact mission outcomes.

BAF houses the world’s largest anechoic chamber which can offer an environment for electronic warfare tests on most aircraft without interference from outside sources.

The test team at BAF include Boeing, the 418th Flight Test Squadron, the 772nd Test Squadron and the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division.