David
Wed December 11, 2002 8:17am
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KC-135 Stratotanker
KC-135 Stratotanker
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David
Thu January 16, 2003 12:31am
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KC-10A Extender
Function: The KC-10A Extender is an Air Mobility Command advanced tanker and cargo aircraft designed to provide increased global mobility for U.S. armed forces. Although the KC-l0A's primary mission is aerial refueling, it can combine the tasks of a tanker and cargo aircraft by refueling fighters and simultaneously carry the fighter support personnel and equipment on overseas deployments. The KC-10A can transport up to 75 people and nearly 170,000 pounds (76,560 kilograms) of cargo a distance of about 4,400 miles (7,040 kilometers) unrefueled.
History: A modified Boeing Company DC-10, the KC-10A entered service in 1981. Although it retains 88 percent systems commonality with the DC-10, it has additional systems and equipment necessary for its Air Force mission. These additions include military avionics; aerial refueling boom, hose and drogue; seated aerial refueling operator station; aerial refueling receptacle and satellite communications. The KC-10A fleet is being modified to add wing-mounted pods to further enhance aerial refueling capabilities. The KC-10A is operated by the 305th Air Mobility Wing, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.; and the 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif. Air Force Reserve Associate units are assigned to the 349th Air Mobility Wing at Travis, and the 514th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire.
During Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1991, the KC-10 fleet provided in-flight refueling to aircraft from the U.S. armed forces as well as those of other coalition forces. In the early stages of Operation Desert Shield, in-flight refueling was key to the rapid airlift of materiel and forces. In addition to refueling airlift aircraft, the KC-10, along with the smaller KC-135, moved thousands of tons of cargo and thousands of troops in support of the massive Persian Gulf build-up.
During Operation Desert Storm, in-flight refueling extended the range and capability of all U.S. and other coalition fighter aircraft. Air operations continued without costly and time-consuming ground refueling.
The KC-10A and the KC-135 conducted about 51,700 separate refueling operations and delivered 125 million gallons (475 million liters) of fuel without missing a single scheduled rendezvous.
Description: In addition to the three main DC-10 wing fuel tanks, the KC-10A has three large fuel tanks under the cargo floor, one under the forward lower cargo compartment, one in the center wing area and one under the rear compartment. Combined, the capacity of the six tanks carry more than 356,000 pounds (160,200 kilograms) of fuel -- almost twice as much as the KC-135 Stratotanker. Using either an advanced aerial refueling boom, or a hose and drogue refueling system, the KC-10A can refuel a wide variety of U.S. and allied military aircraft within the same mission. The aircraft is equipped with special lighting for night operations.
The KC-10A's boom operator controls refueling operations through a digital fly-by-wire system. Sitting in the rear of the aircraft, the operator can see the receiver aircraft through a wide window. During boom refueling operations, fuel is transferred to the receiver at a maximum rate of 1,100 gallons (4,180 liters) per minute; the hose and drogue refueling maximum rate is 470 gallons (1,786 liters) per minute. The Automatic Load Alleviation System and Independent Disconnect System greatly enhances safety and facilitates air refueling. The KC-10A can be air-refueled by a KC-135 or another KC-10A to increase its delivery range.
The large cargo-loading door can accept most tactical air forces' fighter unit support equipment. Powered rollers and winches inside the cargo compartment permit moving heavy loads. The cargo compartment can accommodate loads ranging from 27 pallets to a mix of 17 pallets and 75 passengers.
The KC-10A's crew includes a pilot, copilot, flight engineer and boom operator. The sophisticated avionics of the aircraft are designed to improve crew efficiency and reduce crew workload. On certain missions, additional seats and bunks can be added to accommodate extra crew members.
General Characteristics, KC-10A Extender
Contractor:
Douglas Aircraft Co., division of The Boeing Company
Unit Cost:
$86.8 million (FY 1996 constant dollars)
Power Plant:
Three General Electric CF6-50C2 turbofans
Thrust:
52,500 pounds (23,625 kilograms) each engine
Length:
181 feet, 7 inches (54.4 meters)
Height:
58 feet, 1 inch (17.4 meters)
Wingspan:
165 feet, 4.5 inches (50 meters)
Maximum Take-off Weight:
590,000 pounds (265,500 kilograms)
Speed:
619 mph (Mach 0.825)
Ceiling:
42,000 feet (12,727 meters)
Maximum Cargo Payload:
170,000 pounds (76,560 kilograms)
Range:
4,400 miles (3,800 nautical miles) with cargo
11,500 miles (10,000 nautical miles) without cargo
Pallet Positions:
27
Maximum Fuel Load:
356,000 pounds (160,200 kilograms)
Crew:
Four (aircraft commander, pilot, flight engineer and boom operator)
Inventory:
Active force, 59
ANG, 0
Reserve, 0
Date Deployed:
March 1981
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David
Thu January 16, 2003 12:31am
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KC-135 Stratotanker
Function: The KC-135 Stratotanker's principal mission is air refueling. This asset greatly enhances the U. S. Air Force's capability to accomplish its mission of Global Engagement. It also provides aerial refueling support to U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and allied aircraft.
History: AMC manages more than 442 Stratotankers (primary aircraft assigned), of which the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard fly 268 of those in support of AMC's mission. McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., is the host for the first KC-135 Air Force Reserve associate unit, the 931st Air Refueling Group, which shares KC-135s with the base's 22nd Air Refueling Wing. The Boeing Company's model 367-80 was the basic design for the commercial 707 passenger plane as well as the KC-135A Stratotanker. In 1954 the Air Force purchased the first 29 of its future fleet. The first aircraft flew in August 1956 and the initial production Stratotanker was delivered to Castle Air Force Base, CA, in June 1957. The last KC-135 was delivered to the Air Force in 1965.
Of the original KC-135A's, almost 400 have been modified with new CFM-56 engines produced by CFM-International. The re-engined tanker, designated either the KC-135R or KC-135T, can offload 50 percent more fuel, is 25 percent more fuel efficient, costs 25 percent less to operate and is 96 percent quieter than the KC-135A.
Under another modification program, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard tankers were re-engined with the TF-33-PW-102 engines. The re-engined tanker, designated the KC-135E, is 14 percent more fuel efficient than the KC-135A and can offload 20 percent more fuel.
Through the years, the KC-135 has been altered to do other jobs ranging from flying command post missions to reconnaissance. The EC-135C is U.S. Strategic Command's flying command post. One EC-135C is on alert at all times, ready to take to the air and control bombers and missiles if ground control is lost. Special reconnaissance uses RC-135s and NKC-135A's are flown in test programs for Air Force Systems Command. Air Combat Command operates the OC-135 as an observation platform in compliance with the Open Skies Treaty.
With projected modifications, the KC-135 will fly and refuel into the next century. A new aluminum-alloy skin grafted to the underside of the wings will add 27,000 flying hours to the aircraft.
Over the next few years, the aircraft will undergo a number of upgrades to expand its capabilities and improve its reliability. Among these are wingtip, air refueling pods; improved cockpit instrument displays; additional communication equipment and enhanced navigation aids.
Description: Four turbofans, mounted under 35-degree swept wings, power the KC-135 to takeoffs at gross weights up to 322,500 pounds (146,285 kilograms). Nearly all internal fuel can be pumped through the tanker's flying boom, the KC-135's primary fuel transfer method. A special shuttlecock-shaped drogue, attached to and trailed behind the flying boom, may be used to refuel aircraft fitted with probes. An operator stationed in the rear of the plane controls the boom. A cargo deck above the refueling system can hold a mixed load of passengers and cargo. Depending on fuel storage configuration, the KC-135 can carry up to 83,000 pounds (37,648 kilograms) of cargo.
General Characteristics, KC-135 Stratotanker
Contractor:
The Boeing Company
Unit Cost:
$52.2 million (FY 1996 constant dollars)
Power Plant:
KC-135R/T: Four CFM-International CFM-56 turbofan engines
KC-135E: Four Pratt and Whitney TF-33-PW-102 turbofan engines
Thrust:
KC-135R, 21,634 pounds each engine
KC-135E, 18,000 pounds each engine
Length:
136 feet, 3 inches (41.53 meters)
Height:
41 feet, 8 inches (12.7 meters)
Wingspan:
130 feet, 10 inches (39.88 meters)
Maximum Take-off Weight:
322,500 pounds (146,285 kilograms)
Speed:
530 mph at 30,000 feet (9,144 meters)
Ceiling:
50,000 feet (15,240 meters)
Maximum Cargo Payload:
83,000 pounds (37,648 kilograms)
Range:
1,500 miles (2,419 kilometers) with 150,000 pounds (68,039 kilograms) of transfer fuel; ferry mission, up to 11,015 miles (17,766 kilometers)
Pallet Positions:
27
Maximum Transfer Fuel Load:
200,000 pounds (90,719 kilograms)
Crew:
Four
Inventory:
Active duty, 373
ANG and Reserve, 268
Date Deployed:
August 1965
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David
Fri January 17, 2003 4:11pm
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B-1B Lancer bomber is ref
B-1B Lancer bomber is refueled over France by a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 108th Air Refueling Wing, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., New Jersey Air National Guard. The B-1 is assigned to the Kansas Air National Guard's 184th Bomb Wing, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. The B-1 filled its tanks for the flight home from Istres, where it was on display at the French Air Base 25's Istres Air Show. The KC-135 is temporarily assigned to the 16th Expeditionary Operations Group, a small U.S. Air Force detachment located on the French base.
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David
Fri January 17, 2003 5:03pm
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Brig. Gen. Gary North, 18
Brig. Gen. Gary North, 18th Wing commander, flies lead in an F-15D Eagle with wingman Capt. Michael Casey (F-15C) from the 44th Fighter Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan. The two F-16 Fighting Falcons are piloted by Maj. Nathan Hill and Lt. Chris Heber, 36th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Wing, Osan Air Base, South Korea. The aircraft are on a refueling training mission with a KC-135R Stratotanker flown by Maj. James Seaward (pilot), Lt. David Eisenbrey (co-pilot), CMSgt. Gregory Durand (boom operator), TSgt. David Steiner (boom operator), and Col. William Kunzweiller (18th Operations Group deputy commander), over the Pacific Ocean near Okinawa, Japan.
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David
Fri January 17, 2003 6:37pm
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F-16s from Aviano Air Bas
F-16s from Aviano Air Base, Italy, drop away from the fuel boom after gassing up from a KC-135 Stratotanker over the Adriatic Sea. The jets were refueled by the New Jersey Air National Guard's 108th Air Refueling Wing, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. The New Jersey unit arrived here for a month-long deployment to fly aerial refueling operations in support of the ongoing NATO operations in the Balkans, Operations Joint Forge and Joint Guardian. U.S. refueling tanker aircraft based here refuel U.S. and NATO aircraft flying air patrols over the Balkans. The 108th ARW is part of the 16th Expeditionary Operations Group, a small U.S. Air Force detachment located on this French air base. Air National Guard refueling units take the lion's share of the rotational duty at Istres. The 16th Expeditionary Operations Group is a unit of the 16th Air Expeditionary Wing, U.S. Air Forces in Europe.
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David
Sat January 18, 2003 12:27pm
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A U.S. Air Force aircrew
A U.S. Air Force aircrew from the 351st Air Refueling Squadron from RAF Mildenhall, U.K., fly a KC-135R Stratotanker over the English Channel on March 31, 1999. The tanker, belonging to the 100th Air Expeditionary Wing is transiting to a refueling track to support NATO Operation Allied Force.
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David
Sat January 18, 2003 12:28pm
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A B-2 Spirit stealth bomb
A B-2 Spirit stealth bomber prepares to receive fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker during a mission in the European theater supporting NATO Operation Allied Force. The B-2 Spirit is a multi-role bomber capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions. A dramatic leap forward in technology, the bomber represents a major milestone in the U.S. bomber modernization program. The B-2 brings massive firepower to bear, in a short time, anywhere on the globe through previously impenetrable defenses.
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David
Sat January 18, 2003 12:40pm
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An Air Force F-16 approac
An Air Force F-16 approaches the refueling boom of a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 336th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron during a mission enforcing the no-fly zone in northern Iraq. Personnel and aircraft from the 336th ARS, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.; and the 18th ARS, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., are deployed at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, as the 336th EARS, providing aerial refueling support for Operation Northern Watch.
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Marissa
Tue March 25, 2003 5:20pm
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An EA-6B Prowler is refue
An EA-6B Prowler is refueled by a KC-135E Stratotanker from the 108th Air Refueling Wing, Air National Guard (ANG), based at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J, March 22, 2003. The EA-6B Prowler was refueled as part of a Coronet East mission. This ANG tanker accompanied the fighters as the Prowlers forward deployed overseas in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multinational coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of massdestruction and end the regime of Saddam Hussein.
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Marissa
Tue March 25, 2003 5:32pm
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A B-52 Stratofortress rec
A B-52 Stratofortress receives fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker over the Indian Ocean on March 24, 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The KC-135 crew is from the 931st Air Refueling Group, McConnell AFB, Kan., and are assigned to the 405th Air Expeditionary Wing, forward deployed location, Southwest Asia in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multinational coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and to end the regime of Saddam Hussein.
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Marissa
Wed March 26, 2003 11:05am
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An F-16 Fighting Falcon f
An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 52nd Fighter Wing maneuvers to receive fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker
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David
Fri March 28, 2003 2:06pm
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A U.S. Navy FA-18 Hornet
A U.S. Navy FA-18 Hornet proceeds on his mission after taking fuel from an Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker in the skies near Iraq on March 21, 2003 in Support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Hornet, which is the nation's first strike fighter, is primarily used as a fighter escort and fleet air defense. However, it can also be used as an attack aircraft with the capability of force projection, interdiction, and close and deep air support. This duel capability gives commanders immense flexibility in wartime operations.
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