Altus Air Force Base marks 70 years of KC-135 Stratotanker

The 97th Air Mobility Wing at Altus Air Force Base, Okla., paid tribute this week to the KC-135 Stratotanker, which marked 70 years since its first flight.

The first all-jet engine air refueling aircraft made its debut on Aug. 31, 1956. The initial production Stratotanker was delivered to Castle Air Force Base, Calif., in June 1957; the last KC-135 was delivered in 1965, according to the Air Force.

“Over the past 70 years, the aircraft has been a cornerstone of global power projection, extending the boundaries of aerial refueling and expanding the reach of U.S. and allied aircraft around the globe,” the 97th Wing said in a statement.

Past and present KC-135 crew members and their families, community members and several retired Air Force general officers were on hand to celebrate the milestone.

“The KC-135 is a true power-projection platform that allows us to overcome the tyranny of distance,” said retired Gen. Carlton D. Everhart II, former Air Mobility Command commander. “It remains essential to our global mobility, and its enduring legacy is a testament to the thousands of Airmen who have maintained and flown it over the decades.” 

A child asks U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Christopher Moody of the 54th Air Refueling Squadron a question while exploring the boom pod of a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft at Altus Air Force Base, Okla., Aug. 31, 2026. (Airman 1st Class Emma Wright)

A family walks onto a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft at Altus Air Force Base, Okla., Aug. 31, 2026. (Emma Wright/U.S. Air Force)

Altus has been home to KC-135 training since 1957, and the 97th Air Mobility Wing has trained thousands of pilots and boom operators. 

The Air Force continues to modernize its air refueling fleet with the KC-46 Pegasus. The Air Force has operated the KC-46A since 2022 and expects the aircraft to remain in service into the 2070s. 

Plans call for 263 aircraft by 2030, with 88 planes from the original order under production and another 75 planned for the “Tanker Production Extension” plan.

As of December, the KC-46A was assigned to squadrons at eight bases across the country, and two other bases are involved in testing and training.

But the Stratotanker remains vital.

The Air Force’s active-duty, reserve and National Guard forces continue to operate more than 350 KC-135 Stratotankers. The Air Force has used over 800 KC-135 variants during its seven decades of service. With a Service Life Extension Program in place, the type is expected to remain in service until at least the 2050s.

“The KC-135 is an incredible aircraft, but it is the dedication of our airmen — those who fly, fix, and support it — that truly keeps this mission in the air, and have done so for seven remarkable decades,” said Chief Master Sgt. Jonny Adams, 97th Air Mobility Wing command chief. “Their professionalism, resilience and commitment deliver global mobility to the Joint warfighters whenever and wherever the nation calls.”

A U.S. Air National Guard F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned to the 195th Fighter Squadron receives fuel from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft above the east side of New Mexico on Aug. 20, 2026. (Emma Wright/U.S. Air Force)