Boeing has secured over $7 billion in new Pentagon funding to manufacture additional AH-64E Apache helicopters for the US Army and KC-46A Pegasus refueling aircraft for the US Air Force. These awards come shortly after separate agreements for MH-47G special operations helicopters, CH-47F Chinooks, and support packages tied to foreign military sales, reinforcing Boeing’s significant role in US military aviation modernization.
The US Army’s share of the new awards is a $4.6-billion firm-fixed-price contract covering fresh AH-64E airframes, Longbow crew training systems, and essential parts and services. Production will be conducted at Boeing’s Mesa, Arizona facility and is scheduled to continue through May 2032. Approximately $2.2 billion of this contract is funded by foreign military sales to Poland, Egypt, and Kuwait. The deal pushes AH-64E production several years beyond the previously expected 2028 timeline.
With more than five million accumulated flight hours, the AH-64E remains one of the world’s most proven attack helicopters. Its open-architecture mission system design allows rapid integration of new sensors, targeting systems, and weapons to address emerging operational requirements. The E-model represents the most advanced iteration of the Apache fleet.
Additionally, Boeing received a $2.4-billion modification from the US Air Force for another production block of KC-46A Pegasus tankers. The latest order includes 15 aircraft plus supporting data system licenses, with work to be completed by June 2029 in Seattle. The KC-46 fleet, now totaling 183 aircraft worldwide, is crucial to replacing the aging KC-135 Stratotanker fleet. Despite recurring challenges involving the Remote Vision System and refueling boom, the Air Force continues procurement to avoid capability gaps during its broader aerial refueling modernization effort.
