US clears possible sale of up to four Boeing KC-46A tankers to Qatar

The US State Department has approved a possible sale of up to four Boeing KC-46A Pegasus refuelling aircraft to Qatar. Congress was notified of the approval on August 20, and the package has a maximum value of $4.5 billion, according to the notification.

The proposed deal includes eight Pratt & Whitney PW4062 engines, four of them spares. It also covers self-protection systems, spare parts, training and logistics support, the notification said.

State Department approval is not a signed contract. It opens the way for negotiations, but whether Qatar goes ahead with the purchase, and in what final configuration, remains open.

The KC-46A is built on the Boeing 767 airframe and is used mainly as an aerial refuelling tanker. If the sale proceeds, Qatar would become the third international customer for the type, joining Japan and Israel, which already operate or have ordered the aircraft.

Foreign military sales of this kind are a routine part of US defence export policy and require congressional notification before contracts can be finalized. Lawmakers get a window in that process to raise objections, though such sales are rarely blocked at this stage.

No further details were given on a possible delivery timeline or when a formal contract might be signed.