Italian Air Force extends relationship with Boeing to continue tanker sustainment and training

Boeing and the Directorate for Air Armaments and Airworthiness have signed an order for the company to continue providing full Performance Based Logistics (PBL) support to the Italian Air Force four KC-767A tankers through December 2025. Under the contract, Boeing will deliver “tip to tail” support for the four ItAF refueling tankers, including line and heavy maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), supply chain, engineering support, publications revisions, and flight and maintenance training.

Lt. Gen. Giuseppe Lupoli, Director of DAAA in Rome, commented: “These aircraft are truly a strategic and highly visible Italian national asset. Through the partnership with Boeing, the Italian Air Force aims at having continued high mission readiness and success throughout the 41-month extended PBL agreement period of performance.”

Boeing has provided integrated fleet support for the ItAF’s refueling tankers since 2011. The sustainment and training have enabled high utilization, including more than 9,000 missions, over 36,000 flight hours, and more than 123 million pounds of fuel offloaded. On average, ItAF KC-767s operate at twice the utilization rate per aircraft of legacy military tankers.

Indra Duivenvoorde, Senior Director, Boeing Government Services Europe & Israel, said: “Boeing is committed to strengthening the more than 70-year partnership with the Italian Armed Forces and industry. We have exceeded our KC-767 strategic partnership requirements to date and will continue to support Italian industry under this new contract. And Boeing remains committed to continuing our excellent relationship with the Italian defence forces and industry.”

In recent years, Boeing’s sustainment and training have assisted critical missions including Operation Inherent Resolve, the Operation Aquila Omnia evacuation missions from Kabul, and COVID-related missions to repatriate Italian citizens and transport vital supplies.