List of tanker aircraft

Last updated October 21, 2024

This is a list of tanker aircraft used for aerial refuelling of another aircraft whilst in powered flight.

Refueling methods

Looped hose: The first commercial method employed a hose which was held slack in a trailing half-loop behind both aircraft. The receiving aircraft flew just below the tanker and deployed a steel line, which the tanker caught with its own grappling line and drew in. The tanker then connected the first steel line to the refueling hose and paid it out as the receiving aircraft reeled it back in.
Probe-and-drogue: The tanker trails a flexible hose with a stabilising drogue on the end and the receiving aircraft manoeuvers to insert a short probe into the receptacle in the drogue.
Flying boom: The tanker extends a hinged telescopic boom with aerodynamic control surfaces on its end. An operator "flies" it to match up with a receptacle on the receiving aircraft, which then moves forwards to make the connection.
Wing-to-wing: A hybrid method in which the tanker trails a flexible hose from a wing and the receiving aircraft catches it in a hooked receptacle under one of its own wings.
Buddy refueling: An aircraft type is fitted with both supply and receiving hardware, so that one aircraft can refuel another of the same type.

Gallery

These images illustrate various aerial refuelling methods.

First successful mid-air refuelling in 1923.
Looped hose refuelling during round-the-world flight.
Helicopter with refuelling probe approaching the drogue trailed by a tanker.
Probe inserted in drogue for refuelling.
Buddy refuelling.
Flying boom refuelling.
Flying boom refuelling at night.

List of aircraft

military tanker aircraft used to refuel other aircraft in flight
Tanker aircraft	based on	aircraft propulsion method	Fuel supply method	Operators	Date entered use	Current status	Qty	Notes
Airbus A310 MRTT	Airbus A310-300C	2x turbofan jet	probe and drogue	Canada / France / Germany	2004	operational	6	Two for Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), known in service as CC-150T Polaris
Airbus A330 MRTT	Airbus A330-200	2x turbofan jet	probe and drogue	United Kingdom	2011	production/ operational	7 KC2 5(+2) KC3	In Royal Air Force (RAF) service, it is exclusively hose-and-drogue, and is known as Voyager KC2 (two under-wing hose and drogue) and Voyager KC3 (two under-wing hose and drogue plus under-fuselage centreline high capacity hose and drogue), with no self-refuelling capability. 14 aircraft have been delivered: seven KC2, five KC3 and two fitted out as KC3.
Airbus A330 MRTT	Airbus A330-200	2x turbofan jet	flying boom	Australia / Saudi Arabia / Spain / United Arab Emirates / Singapore Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet		production/ operational	61	Versions operated by the Australian (designated KC-30), Emirati, Saudi air forces and the Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet are equipped with both a flying boom and hose and drogue refuelling units.
Airbus A400M Atlas	Airbus A400M Atlas	4x Europrop TP400 turboprop	probe and drogue	Spain / Germany / France	2013	operational
Airco DH.4	Airco DH.4	propeller	gravity flow hose	United States	1923	retired	1	US Army Air Service trials at Rockwell Field, San Diego, California.^[1]
Avro Lancaster	Avro Lancaster	4x propeller	probe and drogue	United Kingdom	1948	retired		Purchased and converted by Flight Refuelling Limited (FRL).^[2]
Avro Lancastrian	Avro Lancaster	4x propeller	probe and drogue	United Kingdom	1948	retired	4	Purchased and converted by Flight Refuelling Limited (FRL), two Lancastrian tankers were based at Shannon, Ireland; the other two in North America, at Goose Bay, Labrador, and Gander, Newfoundland.^[2]
Avro Lincoln	Avro Lincoln	4x propeller	probe and drogue	United Kingdom		retired		Purchased and converted by Flight Refuelling Limited (FRL).^[2]
Avro Vulcan K.2	Avro Vulcan	4x jet	probe and drogue	United Kingdom	1982	retired	6	Conversions as interim until VC.10 tankers ready.
Blackburn Buccaneer S.2	Blackburn Buccaneer S.2	2x turbofan jet	probe and drogue	United Kingdom		retired		Buddy-buddy refuelling.
Boeing KB-29M	Boeing B-29 Superfortress	4x propeller	probe and drogue	United States	1948	retired	126	The world's first aerial refuelling units were created; the 43d Air Refueling Squadron at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, and the 509th at Walker AFB, Roswell, New Mexico. Earlier KB-29M versions used a 'grappling hose' system, later models used a true probe and drogue. One KB-29M, redesignated YKB-29T (nicknamed 'Triple Nipple'), was modified to have another two refuelling hoses on its wingtip.^[2]
Boeing KB-29P	Boeing B-29 Superfortress	4x propeller	flying boom	United States	1948	retired	100+	^[2]
Boeing KB-50	Boeing B-50 Superfortress	4x propeller	probe and drogue	United States		retired		An improved model of the B-29 Superfortress.
Boeing KB-50	Boeing B-50 Superfortress	4x propeller	flying boom	United States		retired		A B-29 derivative.
Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter	Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter	4x propeller	flying boom	United States / Israel		retired		Based on the B-50, itself another B-29 Superfortress descendant.^[2]
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker	Boeing 367-80 (Dash 80)	4x jet	flying boom	United States / Turkey / France / Chile / Singapore		operational		Boom can be fitted pre-flight with a drogue adapter. AdlA C-135FR/KC-135R Stratotankers use the probe and drogue system and are in the process of being replaced by Airbus A330MRTT 'Phenix'. Singapores KC-135's have been by A330MRTT's and were sold to Meta Aerospace in the USA.
Boeing MQ-25 Stingray	Boeing MQ-25 Stingray	turbofan	probe and drogue	United States		in development		aerial refueling drone
Boeing 707	Boeing 707	4x jet	probe and drogue	Canada / Israel / Spain / Italy / United States		operational		New built and conversions of airliners with multi-point refuelling system pods. Israel allegedly converted ex-airliners with booms from withdrawn KC-97's. Two for RCAF as CC-137 Husky, Spain and Italy have retired their 707 tanker aircraft. Omega Aerial Refueling Services operates two in the United States.
Boeing KC-33A	Boeing 747-100	4x jet	flying boom	Iran			4	KC-33A is a modified Boeing 747 which lost in the USAF bidding competition to the KC-10 Extender. Four sold to the Iranian Air Force, one operational remaining.
Boeing 767MMTT	Boeing 767	2x jet	probe and drogue	Colombia		operational	1	Multi Mission Tanker Transport (MMTT) conversion by IAI for the Fuerza Aérea Colombiana (FAC), a 767-200ER fitted with two ARP3 refuelling pods under the wings, and cargo door.
Boeing KC-767	Boeing 767-200ER	2x jet	flying boom	Italy / Japan		operational	8	With cockpit updates, was (eventually) the winning entry in the USAF KC-X competition.
Boeing KC-46 Pegasus	Boeing 767-200ER	2x jet	flying boom	United States		production		USAF designation for Boeing's updated winning KC-767 entry.
Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet	Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet	2x jet	probe and drogue	United States				Equipped for buddy-buddy refuelling as 'Strike tankers'. Taking over tanking duties after the S-3 was retired from service.
Consolidated B-24 Liberator	Consolidated B-24 Liberator	4x propeller		United States	1943	retired		Used for flight tests with a B–17E receiver.^[2]
Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard	Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard	jet	probe and drogue	France				Buddy-buddy refuelling.
Dassault Rafale	Dassault Rafale	2x jet	probe and drogue	France				Buddy-buddy refuelling.
de Havilland Sea Vixen	de Havilland Sea Vixen	2x jet	probe and drogue	United Kingdom		retired		Buddy-buddy refuelling.
Douglas KA-3B Skywarrior	Douglas A-3 Skywarrior	jet	probe and drogue	United States		retired		Dedicated tanker variant of the Skywarrior. Primary US Navy tanker from the Vietnam War until retirement prior to Desert Storm.
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk	Douglas A-4 Skyhawk	turbojet	probe and drogue	United States		retired		Buddy-buddy refuelling.
Douglas C-1	Douglas C-1	propeller	gravity flow hose	United States	1929	retired	2	The C-1 was a single-engine transport, 6,445-pound biplane, transformed into tankers by installing two 150-gallon tanks for off-loading, and a refuelling hose that passed through a hatch cut in the floor.^[2]^[1]
Embraer KC-390	Embraer C-390 Millennium	2x turbofan	probe and drogue	Brazil				Cobham air-to-air refuelling system.
Grumman KA-6D Intruder	Grumman A-6 Intruder	2x jet	probe and drogue	United States		retired		Dedicated tanker variant of the Intruder. Attack variants of the A-6 also capable of buddy-buddy tanking.
Handley Page HP.54 Harrow	Handley Page HP.54 Harrow	2x propeller	looped hose	United Kingdom	1939	retired	3	Three Harrows were operated by Flight Refuelling Limited, and refuelled Short Empire flying boats on transatlantic services, two from Gander, Newfoundland and one based in Foynes, Ireland.^[2]
Handley Page Type W	Handley Page W.10	2x propeller	looped hose	United Kingdom	1935	retired	2	Early trials and demonstrations by Flight Refuelling Ltd using a piston engined biplane.^[2]
Handley Page Victor	Handley Page Victor	4x jet	probe and drogue	United Kingdom	1965	retired	30	B(K).1A, K.1, K.1A and K.2 variants in Royal Air Force service, operated by No. 55 Squadron from RAF Marham. A number of Victor tankers saw action during Black Buck raids of the 1982 Falklands War, refuelling the Avro Vulcan bombers multiple times during each bombing run. Fleet retired October 1993.
Ilyushin Il-78 Midas	Ilyushin Il-76	4x turbofan	probe and drogue	USSR, India, China
Lockheed HC-130 Hercules & KC-130 Hercules	Lockheed C-130 Hercules & C-130J Super Hercules	4x turboprop	probe and drogue	Canada / Indonesia / United Kingdom / United States				Variants: Royal Canadian Air Force modified C-130H, Indonesian Air Force modified KC-130B, Royal Air Force modified C-130K, United States Marine Corps modified C-130F.^[1]
Lockheed KS-3B	Lockheed S-3 Viking	2x turbofan	probe and drogue	United States		retired		The former primary US Navy carrier-based tanker, equipped for buddy-buddy tanking.
Lockheed TriStar K1/KC1	Lockheed L-1011-500 TriStar	3x turbofan	probe and drogue	United Kingdom	1986	retired	6	Two K1 and four KC1 variants operated by No. 216 Squadron Royal Air Force from RAF Brize Norton. Fleet retired 24 March 2014.
LTV A-7 Corsair II	LTV A-7 Corsair II	jet	probe and drogue	Greece / United States		retired		Equipped for buddy-buddy tanking in US Navy and Greek Air Force service.
McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender	McDonnell Douglas DC-10	3x jet	flying boom	Netherlands / United States		operational		Also has a retractable hose and drogue that can be selected in-flight. Can be fitted with two underwing pods (similar to the KC-135's MPRS) capable of simultaneously refuelling two receiver aircraft (Wing Air Refueling Pods or WARPs). The Royal Netherlands Air Force operates one out of originally two KDC-10s; former civil aircraft modified to a standard similar to the KC-10. The remaining KDC-10 will be withdrawn by the end of 2021. After overhaul, it will follow the other KDC-10 to be operated with Omega Aerial Refueling Services.
Mikoyan MiG-29K	Mikoyan MiG-29M	jet	probe and drogue	USSR				Buddy-buddy refuelling.
Myasishchev M-4-2	Myasishchev M-4 bomber	4x jet	probe and drogue	USSR		retired
Myasishchev 3MS-2	Myasishchev 3M bomber	4x jet	probe and drogue	USSR		retired
Panavia Tornado	Panavia Tornado	2x turbofan	probe and drogue			retired		Buddy-buddy refuelling.
Sukhoi Su-24M	Sukhoi Su-24	2x jet	probe and drogue	USSR				Equipped for buddy-buddy refuelling in the Russian Air Force with the in-flight refuelling pod (Russian: universalny podvesnoy agregat zapravki – UPAZ)^[3] container as 'Strike tankers'.
Sukhoi Su-33	Sukhoi Su-33	2x jet	probe and drogue	USSR				Buddy-buddy refuelling.
Supermarine Scimitar	Supermarine Scimitar	jet	probe and drogue	United Kingdom		retired		Buddy-buddy refuelling.
Tupolev Tu-16N	Tupolev Tu-16 bomber	2x jet	probe and drogue	USSR
Tupolev Tu-16Z	Tupolev Tu-16	2x jet	wing to wing	USSR
Vickers Valiant B(K).1, B(PR)K.1	Vickers Valiant	4x jet	probe and drogue	United Kingdom		retired		The Valiants had removable tanker system in the bomb bay. Operated by Royal Air Force.
Vickers VC10 C1K, K2, K3, K4]]	Vickers VC10	4x turbofan	probe and drogue	United Kingdom		retired	27	C1K (13), K2 (5), K3 (4), and K4 (5) variants served with the Royal Air Force, operated by 10 Squadron, 101 Squadron, and 1312 Flight. Fleet retired 20 September 2013.
Xian H-6U	Xian H-6	2x jet	probe and drogue	China				People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) of China.
Xian YU-20	Xian Y-20	4x jet	probe and drogue	China				People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) of China.

Related Research Articles

The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling tanker aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave the aircraft the internal designation of Model 717. The KC-135 was the United States Air Force (USAF)'s first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratofreighter. The KC-135 was initially tasked with refueling strategic bombers, but it was used extensively in the Vietnam War and later conflicts such as Operation Desert Storm to extend the range and endurance of US tactical fighters and bombers.

Aerial refueling (en-us), or aerial refuelling (en-gb), also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft to another while both aircraft are in flight. The two main refueling systems are probe-and-drogue, which is simpler to adapt to existing aircraft and the flying boom, which offers faster fuel transfer, but requires a dedicated boom operator station.

The McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is an American tanker and cargo aircraft that was operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) for 43 years. A military version of the three-engine DC-10 airliner, the KC-10 was developed from the Advanced Tanker Cargo Aircraft Program. It incorporates military-specific equipment for its primary roles of aerial refueling and transport. It was developed to supplement the KC-135 Stratotanker following experiences in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The KC-10 was the second McDonnell Douglas transport aircraft to be selected by the Air Force following the C-9. A total of 60 KC-10s were produced for the USAF. The Royal Netherlands Air Force operated two similar tankers designated KDC-10 that were converted from DC-10s.

Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) is the name given to a British project to procure a fleet of Airbus A330 MRTT aerial refuelling (AR) and air transport (AT) aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF), to replace their then existing older models such as the Vickers VC10s and Lockheed TriStars.

The Airbus A310 MRTT Multi-Role Tanker Transport is a military air-to-air refuelling, or in-flight refuelling tanker transport aircraft, capable of operating multi-role missions. The A310 MRTT tanker aircraft is a subsequent development from the earlier Airbus A310 MRT Multi-Role Transport, which was a military transport aircraft for passengers, cargo, and medical evacuation. The A310 MRT and A310 MRTT are both specialist military conversions of existing airframes of the civilian Airbus A310-300C wide-bodied passenger jet airliner.

The Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) is a European aerial refueling and military transport aircraft based on the civilian Airbus A330. A total of 15 countries have placed firm orders for approximately 78 aircraft, of which 60 had been delivered by 30 June 2024. A version of the A330 MRTT, the EADS/Northrop Grumman KC-45, was selected by the United States Air Force for its aerial tanker replacement programme, but the programme was cancelled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing B-50 Superfortress</span> Piston-engined strategic bomber aircraft family, 1947

The Boeing B-50 Superfortress is an American strategic bomber. A post–World War II revision of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, it was fitted with more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines, stronger structure, a taller tail fin, and other improvements. It was the last piston-engined bomber built by Boeing for the United States Air Force, and was refined into Boeing's final such design, the prototype B-54. Although not as well known as its direct predecessor, the B-50 was in USAF service for nearly 20 years.

The Boeing KC-767 is a military aerial refueling tanker and transport aircraft developed from the Boeing 767-200ER. The tanker received the designation KC-767A, after being selected by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) initially to replace older KC-135Es. In December 2003, the contract was frozen and later canceled due to corruption allegations.

The Ilyushin Il-78 is a Soviet/Russian four-engined aerial refueling tanker based on the Il-76 strategic airlifter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 33 Squadron RAAF</span> Royal Australian Air Force tanker/transport squadron

No. 33 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) strategic transport and air-to-air refuelling squadron. It operates Airbus KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transports from RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland. The squadron was formed in February 1942 for service during World War II, operating Short Empire flying boats and a variety of smaller aircraft. By 1944 it had completely re-equipped with Douglas C-47 Dakota transports, which it flew in New Guinea prior to disbanding in May 1946.

The Boeing KB-29 was a modified Boeing B-29 Superfortress for air refueling needs by the USAF. Two primary versions were developed and produced: KB-29M and KB-29P.

Question Mark ("?") was a modified Atlantic-Fokker C-2A transport airplane of the United States Army Air Corps. In 1929, commanded by Major Carl A. Spaatz, it was flown for a flight endurance record as part of an experiment with aerial refueling. Question Mark established new world records in aviation for sustained flight (heavier-than-air), refueled flight, sustained flight (lighter-than-air), and distance between January 1 and January 7, 1929, in a nonstop flight of 151 hours near Los Angeles, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boom operator (military)</span> Aircrew member aboard tanker aircraft who is responsible for transferring fuel to receiver aircraft

In the U.S. Air Force (USAF), a boom operator is an aircrew member aboard tanker aircraft who is responsible for safely and effectively transferring aviation fuel from one military aircraft to another during flight. The name boom operator implies that one "operates a boom", which is a long, extendable metal arm attached to the rear underside of the tanker that the boom operator connects to the fuel receptacle of a receiving aircraft. The boom operator also controls the refueling drogue, a basket attached to a flexible hose that trails the tanker, when using the probe-and-drogue system. The USAF officially designates the boom operator career field as "In-Flight Refueling" with a specialty code of 1A0X1. However, this designation is usually reserved for administrative paperwork such as enlistment contracts and performance reports, as boom operators themselves are rarely referred to as in-flight refueling specialists within the USAF. The title "Boom Operator" is most commonly used, in reference to the aircrew position they occupy on the airplane, as noted in USAF regulations and aircraft flight manuals. Fellow crew members affectionately address them as "boom" or "boomer".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2nd Air Refueling Squadron</span> Military unit

The 2nd Air Refueling Squadron, sometimes written as 2d Air Refueling Squadron, is a unit of the United States Air Force. It is part of the 305th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire Air Force Base, part of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. The 2nd Air Refueling Squadron is the second-oldest squadron in the Air Force, having over 100 years of service to the nation. It was deployed to the Philippines after World War I, during the 1941-1942 Battle of the Philippines, it was wiped out, with the Japanese forcing some of the personnel to endure the Bataan Death March. It was re-formed as an air refueling squadron by Strategic Air Command in 1949. Today, it operates the KC-46 Pegasus aircraft, conducting aerial refueling missions.

Automated aerial refueling (AAR) refers to methods for autonomous refueling of manned and unmanned aircraft.

KQ-X was a $33 million DARPA program awarded to Northrop Grumman on July 1, 2010. KQ-X investigated and developed autonomous aerial refueling techniques using two NASA Global Hawk high-altitude long endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The 421st Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 41st Air Division at Yokota Air Base, Japan, where it was inactivated on 18 February 1965.

The Lockheed MartinKC-130 is a family of the extended-range tanker version of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. The KC-130J is the latest variant operated by the United States Marine Corps (USMC), with 48 delivered out of 79 ordered. It replaced older KC-130F, KC-130R, and KC-130T variants for aerial refueling. USMC reserve unit, VMGR-452 operated 12 KC-130T aircraft until May 2021; this was the last USMC reserve unit that operated the legacy KC-130s, completing the Corps' transition to the more advanced Super Hercules.

The Boeing KC-46 Pegasus is an American military aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft developed by Boeing from its 767 jet airliner. In February 2011, the tanker was selected by the United States Air Force (USAF) as the winner in the KC-X tanker competition to replace older Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers. The first aircraft was delivered to the USAF in January 2019. The USAF intends to procure 179 tankers by 2027.

Omega Aerial Refueling Services Incorporated is an American aviation company that provides aerial refueling services for military customers.

References

1 2 3 "Aerial Refueling". www.CentennialOfFlight.gov. U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Richard K. Smith (1998). "Seventy-Five Years of Inflight Refueling – Highlights, 1923–1998" (PDF). www.AirForceHistory.HQ.AF.Mil. Air Force History and Museums Program – United States Air Force. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 October 2008. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
↑ Gordon, Yefim; Dexter, Keith (2002). Polikarpov's Biplane Fighters. Hinckley, Leicestershire: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-141-5.

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[Centennial-1] 1 2 3 "Aerial Refueling". www.CentennialOfFlight.gov. U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2020.

[75yrs-2] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Richard K. Smith (1998). "Seventy-Five Years of Inflight Refueling – Highlights, 1923–1998" (PDF). www.AirForceHistory.HQ.AF.Mil. Air Force History and Museums Program – United States Air Force. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 October 2008. Retrieved 17 November 2009.

[3] Gordon, Yefim; Dexter, Keith (2002). Polikarpov's Biplane Fighters. Hinckley, Leicestershire: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-141-5.

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