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The U.S. Air Force is exploring kinetic self-protection systems for KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-46A Pegasus aircraft to counter incoming missiles. This effort addresses increased threats from long-range adversary missiles, aiming for a deployment timeline of two to three years.

The systems will function independently of missile guidance types and are intended to supplement current soft-kill defenses. Current tanker survivability relies on layered soft-kill systems, but the addition of kinetic interceptors is seen as essential due to evolving missile capabilities. The Air Force is also pursuing advanced sensor integration and data networking to improve threat detection and response times, with global trends indicating a similar expansion of support aircraft roles to address emerging threats.