Graduated pilots will now complete the carrier qualification during follow on training at their fleet replacement squadron, a Navy spokesperson said.
Photographs that leaked online showed extensive damage to the KC-46's refueling boom, with its metal ripped and twisted and a chain hanging down.
The Air Force said it is also preparing to award a contract to convert the Boeing 747-8 into a presidential transport plane.
The request for a new jet comes as President Donald Trump considers accepting a luxury Boeing jumbo jet as a gift from the ruling family of Qatar.
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