The US Department of Defense has awarded Boeing contracts worth more than $7 billion to produce AH-64E Apache attack helicopters for the US Army and additional KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling and strategic transport aircraft for the US Air Force.
The announcement follows earlier Boeing agreements covering MH-47G helicopters for US Special Operations Command, CH-47F Chinooks for the US Army, and sustainment support for foreign military sales partners.
The army’s share is a $4.6-billion firm-fixed-price contract for new-build AH-64E Apaches, Longbow crew trainers, and associated components and services. Production will take place in Mesa, Arizona through May 2032, with around $2.2 billion sourced from foreign military sales to Poland, Egypt, and Kuwait. The award extends the Apache production timeline beyond its previous 2028 endpoint.
The AH-64E—an upgraded iteration of the long-serving attack helicopter platform—has logged over five million flight hours since the 1980s and features an open systems architecture enabling rapid software, sensor, and weapon enhancements.
Boeing has also secured a $2.4-billion contract modification to build the next lot of KC-46A tankers, which includes 15 aircraft and mobility data system licenses. Production will be carried out in Seattle and is slated for completion by June 2029, raising the global total of KC-46s on order to 183.
Built on the Boeing 767 platform, the KC-46 plays a key role in replacing the aging KC-135 Stratotanker fleet. Despite ongoing technical challenges—particularly with the Remote Vision System and refueling boom—the Air Force continues to procure new units to prevent production gaps and support long-term modernization.
