American refueling aircraft, deployed during Cold War, Desert Storm and ongoing operations worldwide for mid-air refueling missions. Key figures: top speed 933 km/h, range 2,400 km, service ceiling 15,240 m, max takeoff weight 146,283 kg, unit price $39M, built 803. In service with 3 air forces as of 2026 — United States (376), Turkey (7), Chile (2).
| Crew | 4 |
| Length | 41.5 m (136.3 ft) |
| Wingspan | 39.9 m (130.8 ft) |
| Height | 12.7 m (41.7 ft) |
| Wing area | 226 m² (2432.6 sqft) |
| Empty weight | 44,663 kg (98,465 lbs) |
| Max. takeoff weight | 146,283 kg (322,498 lbs) |
| Powerplant | 4 × turbofans CFM International F108-CF-100 9,813 kgf each |
| Maximum speed | 933 km/h (580 mph) |
| Operational range | 2,400 km (1,491 mi) |
| Endurance | 11 hours |
| Service ceiling | 15,240 m (50,000 ft) |
| Climb rate | 24.893 m/s (81.7 ft/s) |
United States
Two KC-135R tankers damaged in a ground towing accident at RAF Mildenhall; one tanker's stabilizer struck the adjacent aircraft's, leaving tearing and deformation. Repaired on the ramp within days; no injuries.
Damaged
United States
KC-135R Stratotanker destroyed by fire at Prince Sultan Air Base during Iranian missile and drone attack; satellite imagery confirmed airframe loss.
Destroyed
United States
Five KC-135R/T Stratotankers damaged by Iranian ballistic missile strike on Prince Sultan Air Base flight line; none destroyed, all expected to return to service.
Damaged
United States
Second KC-135 in the western Iraq mid-air collision lost part of its vertical stabilizer; landed safely at Ben Gurion.
Damaged
United States
KC-135R Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq near Turaibil after mid-air collision with another KC-135 during Operation Epic Fury; 6 crew aboard killed.
Crash
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft manufactured by Boeing. It entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1957 as the service's first jet-powered refueling tanker, replacing the piston-engined KC-97 Stratofreighter. The aircraft is known for providing continuous aerial refueling support for over 60 years, extending the range and endurance of strategic bombers and tactical fighters.
Development began in the early 1950s using the Boeing 367-80 prototype demonstrator, parallel to the development of the commercial Boeing 707 airliner. Although Lockheed won the Strategic Air Command's 1954 jet tanker competition, the USAF ordered Boeing's design because the prototype was already flying and could be delivered two years earlier. The USAF placed an initial order for 29 KC-135As in 1954, and the type made its first flight in August 1956. Deliveries began in June 1957 and ended in 1965, with Boeing producing 820 total aircraft across the basic C-135 family.
The KC-135 features 35° aft-swept wings, a narrow fuselage, and four underwing engine pods. Originally powered by Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojets using water injection, fleet retrofit programs replaced these with TF33 turbofans on the KC-135E and CFM International CFM56 (F108) turbofans on the KC-135R and KC-135T. Fuel is transferred primarily through a tail-mounted flying boom controlled by a prone operator, or via boom-attached drogues and wing-mounted Multi-point Refueling System pods. Avionics updates include the Pacer-CRAG modification—which eliminated the navigator position—and the Block 45 digital glass cockpit update. The upper deck can carry a payload of up to 83,000 pounds (38,000 kg) of cargo or 80 passengers.
The KC-135 entered service supporting Strategic Air Command bombers before expanding its role to refuel tactical fighters during the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Epic Fury. Operational control transferred from Strategic Air Command to Air Mobility Command following a USAF reorganization in 1992. Export and international operators include France, Singapore, Turkey, Chile, and a commercial lessee in India, with France and Singapore later replacing their fleets with Airbus A330 MRTTs. Over its service life, 52 Stratotankers have been lost in accidents, resulting in 385 fatalities.
The first Boeing KC-135A flew on August 31, 1956. Seventy years on, 385 Stratotankers remain in service with three air forces, 52 percent of the world's 740 dedicated tankers, and 2026 has already cost the fleet two airframes and damaged eight more.
