A KC-135 tanker crew helps stealth fighters stay on patrol, guiding a refueling boom from the rear of the aircraft.
U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighters took on fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker during a patrol over the Middle East, according to a November 5 post from U.S. Central Command. The command identified the aircraft and the region but gave no date or precise location for the flight.
For a fighter pilot, meeting a tanker in the air changes how long a patrol can last. The pilot can take on fuel and continue flying without spending part of the mission returning to an airfield, landing and taking off again.
The two crews have different jobs during the rendezvous. The fighter pilot moves into position behind the KC-135. Aboard the tanker, a crew member stationed at the rear takes control of the long refueling arm, known as the flying boom.
Once the boom connects to the receiving aircraft, fuel flows from the tanker’s internal tanks. The boom operator controls the equipment while the fighter pilot holds position. Both aircraft remain in flight throughout the transfer.
Earlier Air Force photographs offer a look at that coordination. An August image from the Central Command region captured one F-35A receiving fuel beneath a KC-135 while a second fighter flew alongside. The service documented another F-35A refueling in the region in September.
The aircraft on either end of the boom come from different generations. The F-35A is a fifth-generation fighter. The KC-135 has served as an Air Force tanker for more than six decades, and its crews still provide the fuel that gives newer aircraft more time in the air.
