1
A. Butler, “Air Force Mulling Replacement for Aging, Maintenance-Needy KC-135,” Inside
the Air Force, May 4, 2001.
2
Department of the Navy (N78) provided to CRS by email Sept. 2, 2005.
3
See, for example, Tanker Requirements Study-05. Department of the Air Force, Air Mobility
Command. February 2001, and Mobility Capabilities Study (MCS). December 2005.
Order Code RS20941
Updated March 20, 2007
Air Force Aerial Refueling
Christopher Bolkcom
Specialist in National Defense
Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
Summary
Aerial refueling aircraft are key to air operations. The U.S. tanker fleet is large and
effective, but old. Modernizing or replacing the current fleet of tankers presents the
Department of Defense (DOD) with difficult choices in terms of desired capabilities,
force structure, and budget. How this fleet will be maintained or replaced, and on what
schedule, has proven controversial. This report will be updated as events warrant.
Background
Modern military air operations require aerial refueling. Refueling aircraft, or tankers,
extend the range of fighters, bombers, and other aircraft. Tankers increase the range and
flexibility of projection forces. They increase the amount of time that combat and
surveillance aircraft can stay “on-station,” and they boost combat aircraft lethality.
According to senior Air Force officials, “Clearly the tanker fleet is really some of the
very fiber that holds our Air Force’s unique global capabilities together. It is an essential
enabler for getting to the fight and fighting the fight.”
1
Navy aircraft can be configured
to refuel other Navy or Marine Corps aircraft, but the Navy prefers to use “big wing” Air
Force tankers for long-range flight operations.
2
Air Force and Department of Defense
(DOD) leaders believe they need 550-650 KC-135-like aircraft.
3
Air Force Capabilities. The majority of the Air Force’s tankers are Boeing KC-
135 Stratotankers. The Air Force owns 502 Stratotankers: 85 “E” models, and 417 more
capable “R” models. The average KC-135 is approximately 45 years old. The KC-135 can
carry 200,000 lbs of fuel that it dispenses to USAF aircraft through a flying boom. A
drogue can be attached to refuel Navy, Marine Corps, or allied-country aircraft. The
