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The Air Force's 15-year estimates project further significant cost growth through fiscal year 2017. KC-135 fleet operations and support costs were estimated to grow from about $2.2 billion in fiscal year 2003 to $5.1 billion (2003 dollars) in fiscal year 2017, an increase of over 130 percent, which represented an annual operating cost growth ...
Therefore, the USAF has decided to replace the KC-135 fleet. However, since there were originally over 500 KC-135s with the since-retired KC-135E included, these aircraft will be replaced gradually, with the first batch of about 100 aircraft to be replaced in the current buy. The effort to replace the KC-135 has been marked by intense controversy.
An early KC-10 Extender aircraft refuels a C-5 Galaxy in 1980. Both aircraft are wearing liveries typical of that era. During the Vietnam War, doubts began to form regarding the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker fleet's ability to meet the needs of the United States' global commitments.
Data from KC-767A, and Boeing 767-200ER specifications General characteristics Crew: 3: 2 pilots, 1 boom operator Capacity: up to 200 passengers or 19 463L pallets Length: 159 ft 2 in (48.5 m) Wingspan: 156 ft 1 in (47.6 m) Height: 52 ft 0 in (15.8 m) Empty weight: 181,610 lb (82,377 kg) Max takeoff weight: 395,000 lb (186,880 kg) Maximum Fuel Load: 160,660 lb (72,877 kg) Powerplant: 2 × GE ...
Forty-five base-model aircraft were built as C-135A or C-135B transports with the tanking equipment excluded; three more aircraft originally ordered as KC-135A were factory converted to C-135A. The C-135/KC-135 type was also known internally at Boeing as the Model 717, [8] a name later assigned to a completely different aircraft.
[5] [6] KC-X is the first phase of three acquisition programs to replace the KC-135 fleet. [ 7 ] On 29 February 2008, the Department of Defense announced that it had selected the Northrop Grumman "KC-30" (designated the KC-45A by the USAF) over the Boeing KC-767 for the first stage of the program. [ 8 ]
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The squadrons eventually flew the first all jet-engined bomber, the B-47 Stratojet and the KC-97 Stratofreighter, a dual-purpose cargo and air-refueling aircraft. By the end of the decade, both of these aircraft would be replaced by aircraft still in the Air Force inventory, the KC-135 Stratotanker and the B-52 Stratofortress. The KC-135 was ...