Four turbofans, mounted under 35-degree swept wings, power the KC-135 to takeoffs at gross weights of up to 322,500 pounds. A cargo deck above the refueling system can hold a mixed load of ...

and longer flight distances compared to the aging KC-135 Stratotanker. If selected, Forbes Air National Guard Base would receive eight KC-46A aircraft beginning in 2031. A massive new tanker is ...

If the KC-135s are indeed still in service in the 2050s, “that timeline would put the KC-135’s service life near 100 years,” Air & Space Forces Magazine reported. That’s a long time.

The Boeing KC-135, nicknamed Stratotanker is an aerial refueling aircraft that has been in continuous service with the USAF for over 60 years with over 800 examples of the C-135 series built.