(Reuters) -The U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing ( BA ) a $2.47 billion contract for 15 additional KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling tankers, the company announced on Tuesday in a release.

Last year, the Air Force awarded Boeing ( BA ) a similar contract for 15 of the tankers for $2.38 billion.

In August, Israel's defense ministry said it plans to buy two of the tankers for approximately $500 million.

The KC-46A had faced numerous issues in the past including foreign object debris, supplier quality issues and defects.

Since 2019, the U.S. Air Force has received 98 KC-46As, according to Boeing ( BA ).