Are we still flying the old A model KC-135s or have they all been re-engined with the CFM-56s?
}:-)4
Unfortunately they are flying the old tanker’s still. One reason it has been a big interest in the tanker community to procure a new weapon system. Haven’t seen a new tanker since the 1980’s, which were only 60 KC-10’s, with only 59 remaining in the fleet. I watched the missing one burn to the ground on 17 Sep 87 at Barksdale AFB, LA. Great day to have a crew bus 15 minutes late or I would have been up close and personal on the aircraft parked next to it.
The ones remaining in service have all been re-engined. However, they still have the same old airframe, many of them built well over 50 years ago.
They require a lot of maintenance to keep them flying. I suspect that has been cut to the bone, plus they have been run hard since 9/11/2001. It is a wonder we haven't lost more of these as well as other older aircraft. We have a rapidly aging and ridden hard fleet of military aircraft in all categories.
They were all reengined a long time ago. The last E model (with the TF-33) is in the boneyard now as well. All that are left are R models.
In 1992 I was in the last wing to convert A to R.