The acquisition of the Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers is in process, after the Air Force formally raised the requirement to incorporate up to two units.
The Argentine Air Force announced the addition of KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft
The addition seeks to enhance the range of F-16 fighters and recover lost strategic functions.
The acquisition of the Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers is in process, after the Air Force formally raised the requirement to incorporate up to two units.
This initiative is directly linked to the recent addition of the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters, since in-flight refueling will extend their range and improve their operational performance.
In previous statements, Gustavo Valverde had detailed that the institution “... began the application process (LOR - Letter of Request) for up to 2 KC-135R aircraft in Ramp to Ramp (hot transfer) mode. This process is under way, waiting for the aircraft to be available and the studies to be completed...”
The addition of these aircraft represents a significant advance for the force, not only because of their primary role as refuelers, but also because of their transport capacity. The KC-135s can carry up to 37,000 kilograms of cargo, making them a key tool for large scale logistics operations
.In addition, this decision will make it possible to recover strategic capabilities that had been lost with the departure of the Boeing 707s from service. Currently, the Air Force depends on more limited resources, such as its only Boeing 737 and the fleet of Lockheed C-130 Hercules,
which operate intensively.The announcement came after the ceremony for a new anniversary of the baptism of fire, where the head of the General Staff of the force, Gustavo Javier Valverde, provided details about the ongoing process.
As he explained to Zona Militar, these additions are part of a strategy to strengthen transport aviation and expand operational capacities.
In this regard, the brigadier maintained that work is being done “... with the incorporation of a new system. The in-flight refueling part, that with the F-16s, two KC-135s will come to design the aircraft and give it greater range... reinforce transport aviation in the Boeing part and in the Embraer 140 part... ”.
The project envisages not only the arrival of the KC-135, but also the addition of new Embraer ERJ-140 aircraft, with the objective of consolidating a more efficient structure for transporting personnel and cargo.