Sudden Deployment of Dozens of U.S. Air Force Tankers Raises Questions

The Aviationist ^ | 06 16 2025 | Stefano D'Urso

[yesthatjallen]

Around 30 KC-135 and KC-46 tankers departed the U.S. headed to Europe, but their final destination is unknown.

In the night between June 15 and 16, 2025, multiple U.S. Air Force KC-135 and KC-46 aerial refueling aircraft departed their bases in the United States headed to Europe. The sudden and unusual movement was quickly noticed on flight tracking websites, when about 30 tankers were first spotted headed towards the Atlantic Ocean and later arriving in Europe.

Most of these aircraft landed this morning at Ramstein Air Base in Germany and at Morón Air Base and NAS Rota in Spain, while two landed at Aviano Air Base in Italy and at least one landed at Prestwick International Airport in the UK. At the time of writing, some tankers are in flight over the Balkans, headed south, possibly towards Souda Bay in Greece or Incirlik in Turkey.

The reason of this mass deployment is unclear, however what can be said for sure is that these are repositioning flights and the tankers are not “dragging” fighter jets. If that was the case, the tankers would be flying at lower altitudes and would also be make the usual stops on the U.S. East Coast and at Lajes air base, in the Azores.

SNIP

[Waverunner]

Exactly, rent them a pair of B-2’s for to nights and sell them a dozen of the latest bunker busters. Make them buy the full replacement insurance on the B2’s. Have the CIA create an LLC called HURTS to handle the rental.

[suthener]

“The only reason the flights are visible on Flightradar24 is that we WANT them to be seen on Flightradar24.”

You mean they can just turn off their transponders whenever they want? I’ll be durned.

[Vermont Lt]

“ You mean they can just turn off their transponders whenever they want? I’ll be durned.”

I think it’s the blue switch, right under the emergency brake. LOL

[PIF]

B-61 mod 7 - 300KT, surface burst: Heavy blast damage radius (20 psi): 1.52 km (7.25 km²)
At 20 psi overpressure, heavily built concrete buildings are severely damaged or demolished; fatalities approach 100%. Often used as a benchmark for heavy damage in cities.

At the center using the Inspector we get these readings:
Sample point is 21.4 m from ground zero.
Overpressure: +10,000 psi
Maximum wind velocity: +4,830 km/hr
Initial radiation dose: too close to ground zero (potentially +20,000 rem)
Thermal radiation: too close to ground zero (potentially +350,000 cal/cm²)

Settings used:
https://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/?&kt=340&lat=35.696111&lng=51.423056&airburst=0&hob_ft=0&casualties=1&ff=50&psi=20,5,1&zm=16

https://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/

[CatHerd]

Well, based on what little I know, it sounds like that would do it if precisely targeted. But I know little about these things! My Dad was a brilliant nuclear scientist and could have explained it to me, but he passed away a few years ago (how I miss him!).

Is that right? Or?

[dennisw]

You are right. Ultimately these might have to be used by US or Israel >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B61_nuclear_bomb

Used the way you laid it out. After preliminary deep digging by bunker busters. To really crush the Iranian centrifuge halls, that nuke has to be used.