Mcdonnell douglas kc 10 extender f 22 raptor military aircraft aircraft jet fighter us air force mid air refueling. Can be refueled by another kc 10 or kc 135. The usaf received a total of 60 kc 10 extender examples from mcdonnell douglas of which 59 are still on active status. The boeing kc 135 stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. The first flight of the kc 10 took place in july 1980.
Mcdonnell douglas kc 10 extender. Pulls into position to accept fuel from a kc 135 stratotanker with the 756th air refueling squadron joint base andrews naval air facility md. A 1st fighter wings f 22 raptor from joint base langley eustis va. Though it will eventually be replaced in the us fleet most likely by the boeing kc 46 pegasus the kc 10 extender tanker aircraft is still a vital part of us air operations worldwide.
Between then and its own merger with boeing in 1997 it produced a number of well known commercial and military aircraft such as the dc 10 airliner and f 15 eagle air superiority fighter. Kc 10s are the usafs largest air refueling aircraft. Air force navy and marine. The aircraft has also been used by several other nations including the netherlands where it remains in service.
A military aerial tanker version of the dc 10 commercial airliner was developed for the united states air force and operated as the kc 10 extender. It employs an advanced aerial refueling boom or a hose and drogue system to refuel a wide variety of us and allied aircraft within the same mission. Mcdonnell douglas kc 10 extender. About 60 kc 10 tankers are operational worldwide.
Discover ideas about air force aircraft. 48218 departure on wednesday royal internation. It employs a mixed hose and drogue and flying boom refueling system and can refuel military aircraft of the us. It and the boeing 707 airliner were developed from the boeing 367 80 prototype the mcdonnell douglas kc 10 extender is the military version of the three engined dc 10 airliner for the united states air force usaf.
Mcdonnell douglas was a major american aerospace manufacturing corporation and defense contractor formed by the merger of mcdonnell aircraft and the douglas aircraft company in 1967. The triple engined aircraft is in use with us armed forces and other coalition forces. Deliveries of kc 10s spanned from 1981 to 1988 to which production lasted from 1979 to 1987. The royal netherlands air force is the only other military operator of the kc 10 extender known under the designation of kdc 10.
The extender can be used for cargo and passenger transport. Military fighter jet restorations will sell very inexpensive cheap for less than lamborghini. See more incredible images of the kc 10 extender. Mcdonnell douglas kc 10 extender of the us.