At the end of September 2024, the last of the U.S. Air Force’s (USAF) KC-10 Extender heavy aerial refueling aircraft made its final flight to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), marking the end of a service history that began in 1981. Recently, through an official U.S. government announcement, the sale of a total of ten (10) aircraft was disclosed, aimed at potential buyers — including companies that provide aerial refueling services to military forces.
As we reported in September 2024, on the occasion of the final flight of one of the aircraft based at Travis Air Force Base —the Extender’s last home— the “… KC-10 Extender was a heavy refueling and transport aircraft based on the McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30CF.”
Designed to complement the KC-135 Stratotanker, the KC-10s —affectionately nicknamed “Gucci” and “Big Sexy” by their crews— brought significant strategic refueling and transport capabilities, which not only extended the operational range of USAF aircraft, but also that of U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aircraft.
In terms of numbers, the Extender could carry nearly twice as much fuel as the KC-135 (around 356,000 pounds) and could itself be refueled mid-air by another KC-135 or KC-10. Another notable feature was its integrated hose-and-drogue system in addition to the standard boom refueling system.
Just over half a year after its retirement, and according to the official auction website of the U.S. General Services Administration, a total of ten aircraft have been listed for sale. However, this announcement led several defense media outlets to reach out to the USAF to inquire about the condition of the aircraft being offered.
In response, USAF spokespersons told The War Zone that the KC-10s currently located at the Boneyard are not in flying condition. They added that eight of the aircraft are missing one of their engines due to work performed in 2021, involving one of the wing nacelles. Another important detail is that the aircraft are not equipped with their boom refueling systems, as these were removed to serve as spare parts for the rest of the fleet while it was still in service.
Despite this situation, the sale of these selected KC-10s still represents an opportunity for companies that continue to operate these aircraft —either as a source of spare parts or potentially to restore the best units for a return to service. Such an endeavor would undoubtedly require support from Boeing and a significant financial investment.
In this regard, it is worth mentioning Omega Aerial Refueling Services, which operates KDC-10s in its fleet and provides refueling services to military forces. The company marked a major milestone in November 2023 when U.S. Air Force aircraft were refueled by one of its tankers. This type of operation, in contrast, has been used by the Navy and Marine Corps for at least the past 20 years.
Also notable is the case of Metrea, which operates a significant fleet of KC-135 Stratotankers acquired from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (KC-135R), along with other units formerly operated by the French Air and Space Force. Metrea currently holds service provision contracts with the U.S. Navy and, more recently, with the Indian Air Force.
While, in theory, Metrea could be interested in expanding its capabilities with a heavy refueling platform like the ex-USAF KC-10 Extender, as mentioned before, the absence of engines, the lack of boom systems, and the non-flyable condition of the aircraft make such plans unlikely. As noted, their most realistic use would be as a source of spare parts for other potential operators.
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