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KC-135 (Page 2)

Latest in KC-135

The U.S. Air Force's selection of Boeing's F-47 as the winner of its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) combat jet competition raises new questions about plans for new stealthy aerial refueling tankers.
KC-135

F-47 Fighter Reveal Draws New Attention To USAF Stealth Tanker Plans

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 24, 2025

KC-135 AI Copilot testing
KC-135

KC-135 Tanker With Artificial Intelligence Copilot Set To Fly Next Year

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 12, 2024

Aerial photo taken of MacDill Air Force Base on January 29, 2021. MacDill AFB includes 28 associate units from all brances of service to include U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command and the 927th Air Refueling Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tiffany Emery)
KC-135

Hurricane Milton Could Be Sum Of All Weather Fears For MacDill Air Force Base

By Howard Altman

Posted on Oct 9, 2024

The U.S. Air Force is pushing ahead with experimentation that could lead to the transformation of KC-135 tankers into optionally crewed aircraft, as well as the development of other autonomous aerial refueling capabilities. U.S. military interest in autonomous airlifters, an area where China has been notably surging forward in the past few years, is also growing.
KC-135

Work Toward KC-135 Tankers That Fly Themselves, Uncrewed Cargo Aircraft Pressing Ahead

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Sep 18, 2024

Three German Eurofighter EF2000s have completed a record-breaking endurance flight for the multirole fighter. Remaining in the air for a total of 10 hours 31 minutes, the trio of combat aircraft flew from Japan to Hawaii today, supported by aerial refueling tankers that included KC-135 Stratotankers operated by private aerospace firm Metrea, a contractor-owned and operated aerial refueling business that recently acquired of 14 KC-135s from the French Air and Space Force.
KC-135

German Eurofighters Make Record-Breaking Flight With Help From Private Aerial Refueling Company

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jul 27, 2024

Private aerospace firm Metrea has bought France's entire fleet of KC-135 tanker in a major new bet on contractor aerial refueling services.
KC-135

All Of France’s KC-135 Tankers Bought By Private Aerial Refueling Company Metrea

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jul 10, 2024

The USAF wants $1.5B in spare parts it doesn't have in its budget.
KC-135

Hundreds Of Air Force Aircraft Risk Grounding Without Extra $1.5B Spare Parts Infusion

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 28, 2024

The US Air Force will test new autonomous capabilities for its KC-135s intended, at least initially, to help reduce operator workload. The service is also still planning to conduct a test of the KC-135 as an aerial launching platform for drones.
KC-135

Tests Planned For KC-135s That Can Fly Themselves, Act As Drone Motherships

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 16, 2024

Metrea Aerospace became the first to use a private-owned tanker to refuel U.S. aircraft tactical jets when one of its KC-135s topped-up a pair of A-10 Warthog ground attack jets last year.
KC-135

A-10 Warthogs Have Refueled From A Contractor’s KC-135 Tanker

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jan 9, 2024

Beale AFB executes an elephant walk as the U-2's service approaches its end.
KC-135

U-2 Dragon Lady Spy Planes Execute A Bittersweet Elephant Walk

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jan 7, 2024

A U.S. Air Force KC-135 tail number 58-0109 with the nickname “Phantom 109” assigned to the Iowa Air National Guard is in front of the main hangar in Sioux City, Iowa on October 16, 2021. Crew Chiefs recently added nose art to the aircraft depicting a phantom riding along on the aircraft boom.
KC-135

“The Phantom” Is The Air Force’s Haunted KC-135 Tanker… Almost

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Oct 31, 2023

Lockheed Martin says it no longer plans to compete for a contract to replace a portion of the Air Force's KC-135 tanker fleet.
KC-135

Lockheed Bails On KC-135 Tanker Replacement Competition

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Oct 23, 2023

The US Air Force's Air Mobility Command is still pushing ahead with an idea to turn its KC-135 aerial refueling tankers into drone motherships.
KC-135

KC-135 Tankers Being Eyed For Drone Launcher Role

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Sep 11, 2023

US Air Force aircraft have been refueled by private tanker planes for the first time ever.
KC-135

Private Aerial Refueling Tanker Has Gassed Up An Air Force Plane For The First Time

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jul 13, 2023

KC-135 stratotanker
KC-135

KC-135 Tankers To Finally Get Fuel-Saving Winglets

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 28, 2023

New Nuke-Sniffing Jet Flies Off South America On First International Mission
KC-135

New Nuke-Sniffing Jet Flies Off South America On First International Mission

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jan 19, 2023

KC-46 Pegasus Tanker Flies With A Single Pilot At The Controls
KC-135

KC-46 Pegasus Tanker Flies With A Single Pilot At The Controls

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Oct 29, 2022

KC-135 pacific B-1b
KC-135

KC-135 Boom-Down Emergency Landing Was Result Of Incident With B-1

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Sep 14, 2022

Air Force’s First ‘New’ Constant Phoenix Nuke-Sniffing Jet Has Flown
KC-135

Air Force’s First ‘New’ Constant Phoenix Nuke-Sniffing Jet Has Flown

By Emma Helfrich

Posted on Jun 30, 2022

A US Air Force KC-135R aerial refueling tanker comes in to land.
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KC-135R Tanker Autopilots Still Suffering From Dangerous Anomalies

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on May 13, 2022

Air Force Restricts Use Of Autopilot On Upgraded KC-135 Tankers Again
KC-135

Air Force Restricts Use Of Autopilot On Upgraded KC-135 Tankers Again

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 11, 2022

Air Force Stumped By Sudden Pitch Down Events Reported On Upgraded KC-135 Tankers
KC-135

Air Force Stumped By Sudden Pitch Down Events Reported On Upgraded KC-135 Tankers

By Joseph Trevithick and Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Oct 8, 2021

20 KC-135s Were Rapidly Launched Out Of Fairchild AFB This Morning (Updated)
KC-135

20 KC-135s Were Rapidly Launched Out Of Fairchild AFB This Morning (Updated)

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Sep 29, 2021

RC-135 Now Flying With Donor KC-135 Engine Cover After Frightening Crosswind Landing Mishap
KC-135

RC-135 Now Flying With Donor KC-135 Engine Cover After Frightening Crosswind Landing Mishap

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Sep 23, 2021

The Air Force Blew It When It Decided Not To Give Its KC-135s Winglets 40 Years Ago
KC-135

The Air Force Blew It When It Decided Not To Give Its KC-135s Winglets 40 Years Ago

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Sep 20, 2021

Shadowy KC-135RT Special Ops Tankers Head Toward Afghanistan As Evacuation Airbridge Forms (Updated)
KC-135

Shadowy KC-135RT Special Ops Tankers Head Toward Afghanistan As Evacuation Airbridge Forms (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Aug 14, 2021

Air Force Plans To Buy A New Tanker As Problems Persist With The One It’s Already Buying
KC-135

Air Force Plans To Buy A New Tanker As Problems Persist With The One It’s Already Buying

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jun 17, 2021

KC-135 Tanker Tested With Loyal Wingman Drone
KC-135

KC-135 Tanker Tested With Loyal Wingman Drone

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Apr 15, 2021

F-117s Cleared To Refuel From All KC-135s As “Retired” Stealth Jets Expand Operations
KC-135

F-117s Cleared To Refuel From All KC-135s As “Retired” Stealth Jets Expand Operations

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jan 30, 2021

F-35s, F-16 Aggressors, KC-135 Tankers Put On Impressive “Elephant Walk” In Alaska
KC-135

F-35s, F-16 Aggressors, KC-135 Tankers Put On Impressive “Elephant Walk” In Alaska

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Dec 22, 2020

A Dozen Of The Most Unusual Variants Of The Ubiquitous KC-135 Family Of Aircraft
KC-135

A Dozen Of The Most Unusual Variants Of The Ubiquitous KC-135 Family Of Aircraft

By Robert Hopkins

Updated on Nov 27, 2020

Retired Singaporean KC-135R Tankers Look Set To Join U.S. Private Aerial Refueling Market
KC-135

Retired Singaporean KC-135R Tankers Look Set To Join U.S. Private Aerial Refueling Market

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Sep 29, 2020

Hawaii Air National Guard F-22s, KC-135, And C-17 Do The “Elephant Walk” In Honolulu
KC-135

Hawaii Air National Guard F-22s, KC-135, And C-17 Do The “Elephant Walk” In Honolulu

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Apr 22, 2020

This Strategic Air Command Airpower Demonstration From 1987 Is Just Bonkers
KC-135

This Strategic Air Command Airpower Demonstration From 1987 Is Just Bonkers

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 9, 2020

General Warns Of Aerial Tanker Shortage As Air Force Looks To Retire 13 KC-135s And 16 KC-10s
KC-135

General Warns Of Aerial Tanker Shortage As Air Force Looks To Retire 13 KC-135s And 16 KC-10s

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Feb 25, 2020

The US Air Force Wants a Trio of More Modern WC-135R Nuke Sniffing Planes
KC-135

The US Air Force Wants a Trio of More Modern WC-135R Nuke Sniffing Planes

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Jun 30, 2019

USAF Breathing New Life Into Ancient KC-135 Tankers With This New Glass Cockpit
KC-135

USAF Breathing New Life Into Ancient KC-135 Tankers With This New Glass Cockpit

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Jun 29, 2019

The Dark World Of USAF Special Ops Air Refuelers And Their Modified KC-135RT Tankers
KC-135

The Dark World Of USAF Special Ops Air Refuelers And Their Modified KC-135RT Tankers

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on May 24, 2019

Air Force Considering Making Its Next Tanker A Drone With A Podded Refueling Boom
KC-135

Air Force Considering Making Its Next Tanker A Drone With A Podded Refueling Boom

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on May 3, 2019

More Than A Dozen Air Force KC-135s and KC-46s Flee Kansas Base Ahead Of Bad Weather
KC-135

More Than A Dozen Air Force KC-135s and KC-46s Flee Kansas Base Ahead Of Bad Weather

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Apr 18, 2019

USAF Chief Just Said Next Air Refueling Tanker May Fly In Space… Huh?
KC-135

USAF Chief Just Said Next Air Refueling Tanker May Fly In Space… Huh?

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Jan 29, 2019

USAF’s Nuke Sniffing Plane Is Flying On A Mission Near The Arctic Right Now
KC-135

USAF’s Nuke Sniffing Plane Is Flying On A Mission Near The Arctic Right Now

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Feb 23, 2017