Pentagon meeting with KC-46 program officials this week to finalize tanker delivery

(Editor's Note: This post has been updated to reflect additional information.)

Boeing and the Air Force have yet to finalize the delivery of the first KC-46 tanker, which was most recently slated to happen by the end of 2018.

The move has been stalled by the departure of former Defense Secretary James Mattis and the transition of acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan into the role. Shanahan, a former top executive at Boeing, has recused himself from all matters involving the company.

Pentagon leaders will meet with Boeing this week to finalize the delivery plan, a source told Inside Defense.

Boeing spokesman Charles Ramey said the program "remains a top priority and we look forward to delivering tanker aircraft in partnership with the Air Force."

Boeing was supposed to deliver the first batch of 18 aircraft last August, but now projects it will do so by April 2019. Over the summer, the program projected the first aircraft would be ready to hand over to the Air Force in October, but that time line has been pushed on more than one occasion as the company awaits final Air Force acceptance.

The Air Force declined to comment on the current delivery schedule.