The U.S. Air Force Wants To Keep The KC-135 Refueling Tankers Flying For 100 Years

Two U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors fly next to a KC-135 Stratotanker, assigned to the 434th Air Refueling Wing, Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind., after conducting aerial refueling over the continental United States, Aug. 21, 2018, during the Northern Lightning 18-2 exercise. U.S. Air National Guard/ech. Sgt. Mary E. Greenwood

William Cole, Task & Purpose/The Honolulu Star-Advertiser: The Air Force Wants To Keep The KC-135 Flying For 100 Years

A smaller Air Force with aging aircraft plans to fly its KC-135 refueling tankers — eight of which are operated by the Hawaii Air National Guard at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam — for another 30 to 40 years.

The Boeing four-engine Stratotanker, similar to the 707, celebrated 50 years of flight in 2006. To put its longevity into perspective, the tankers replaced the propeller-driven KC-97, which couldn’t keep up with fighter jets and bombers.

Gen. Carlton Everhart, who stepped down as head of the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command in September, said last year that “we face serious challenges within our fleet and our Air Force.”

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WNU Editor: I can only imagine what must be involved in trying to keep a plane flying for a hundred years. The maintenance alone must be extensive, which is part of a bigger problem .... The Biggest Problems Facing Military Aviation, According To An Army Aviator (Task & Purpose).