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USAF farewell to the KC-10 Extender
On Sep. 26, 2024 the last US Air Force (USAF) KC-10 Extender and two F-15 Eagles assigned to Fresno Air National Guard Base, California, flew in formation during the KC-10 farewell ceremony at Travis Air Force Base, California.
According to Scramble, KC-10 serial number 79-1948 (call sign “Gucci10”) was the last 60th Air Mobility Wing and associated 349th Air Mobility Wing KC-10A. It flew past the Travis tarmac on its way to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance And Regeneration Group, also known as the Boneyard, near Tucson (AZ).
The 60th Air Mobility Wing (AMW) is the last host wing for the KC-10. As the KC-10 concludes its mission, the airframe will be replaced by the KC-46A Pegasus, providing Team Travis the capabilities to begin a new era of air-to-air refueling.
“As a KC-10 flyer myself, it has been amazing to watch the global impact this aircraft has had.” Said Col. Jay Johnson, 60th AMW commander, in a USAF News release. “As we take the time to appreciate the legacy and history of the KC-10, we also have an opportunity to look forward to the future of tanker operations. I am excited to watch the same sense of pride and community build as we transition to the next generation of tanker operations.”
As the final base to operate the KC-10, Travis AFB had the honor of bidding farewell to an aircraft that has been a vital component of the US military’s global reach and power projection capabilities, this ceremony marking the closing of an important chapter in the history of military aviation.
A modified DC-10
A modified DC-10, the KC-10A entered service in 1981. Although it retained 88 percent of systems commonality with the DC-10, it has additional systems and equipment necessary for its Air Force mission. These additions include military avionics; aerial refueling boom and aerial refueling hose and drogue; seated aerial refueling operator station; and aerial refueling receptacle and satellite communications.
Twenty KC-10s were modified to add wing-mounted pods further enhancing their aerial refueling capabilities. Ongoing modifications included the addition of communications, navigation and surveillance equipment to meet civil air traffic control needs, and the incorporation of service bulletins to maintain Federal Aviation Administration certification.
Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm
The KC-10A was operated by the 305th Air Mobility Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.; and the 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis Air Force Base, Calif. Air Force Reserve Associate units were assigned to the 349th Air Mobility Wing at Travis, and the 514th Air Mobility Wing at JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.
During operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1991, the KC-10 fleet provided in-flight refueling to aircraft from the US armed forces as well as those of other coalition forces. In the early stages of Operation Desert Shield, in-flight refueling was key to the rapid airlift of materiel and forces. In addition to refueling airlift aircraft, the KC-10, along with the smaller KC-135, moved thousands of tons of cargo and thousands of troops in support of the massive Persian Gulf buildup. The KC-10 and the KC-135 conducted about 51,700 separate refueling operations and delivered 125 million gallons (475 million liters) of fuel without missing a single scheduled rendezvous.
The role played by USAF KC-10 Extender tankers after 9/11
In March 1999, a NATO air campaign, Operation Allied Force, was launched against the government of Yugoslavia. The mobility portion of the operation began in February and was heavily tanker dependent. By early May 1999, some 150 KC-10s and KC-135s deployed to Europe where they refueled bombers, fighters and support aircraft engaged in the conflict. The KC-10 flew 409 missions throughout the entire Allied Force campaign and continued support operations in Kosovo.
Since Sep. 11, 2001, KC-10s have played a prominent role. The KC-10 has flown more than 350 missions guarding U.S. skies as a part of Operation Noble Eagle. During operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, KC-10s flew more than 1,390 missions delivering critical air refueling support to numerous joint and coalition receiver aircraft.
Photo credit: Kenneth Abbate / U.S. Air Force
