By Chris Durden KWCH 12 Eyewitness News KWCH 12 Eyewitness News

3:47 p.m. CDT, May 9, 2012
(MUKILTEO, Wash.)—

The Boeing KC-46 Tanker program has completed a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) with the U.S. Air Force.

Boeing says the review demonstrated the preliminary design of the KC-46A Tanker meets system requirements and establishes the basis for proceeding with detailed design. Boeing plans to deliver 18 combat-ready KC-46A Tankers to the U.S. government by 2017.

"I'm happy with Boeing's performance. They're maintaining a very tight focus on meeting commitments and staying on or ahead of schedule. The program remains on a good path," said Air Force Maj. Gen. Chris Bogdan, KC-46 Program executive officer. "This is important news for the nation's warfighters, because it reaffirms our commitment to delivering the KC-46A tanker on schedule."

The program's next major milestone is a Critical Design Review (CDR) that will take place in the summer of 2013. The CDR will determine that the design of the KC-46A is ready to proceed to the manufacturing phase.

Boeing will build 179 next-generation mid-air refueling tankers to replace the Air Force's fleet of 416 KC-135 tankers. Dozens of the decades-old tankers are based at Wichita's McConnell Air Force base.