An F-15 fighter supporting airstrike operations against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria is refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker in midair over Iraq on March 24, 2016. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar — The U.S. and its partners in the coalition targeting Islamic State group militants in Iraq and Syria have conducted more than 11,000 airstrikes since the campaign began, and refueling tankers have been key to those missions.
“We may not be the tip of the spear, but we are the ones that enable that global reach,” said the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron weapons officer and director of operations, a major who for security reasons could only be identified by his first name, Richard. “The tankers are the ones that enable (the operation) to be as effective as it is.”
The KC-135 Stratotankers out of Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar refuel aerial assets in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, which includes Afghanistan.
Without refueling midflight, “some fighters may not even be able to make it” to their objectives, Richard said. “If they run out of munitions they leave. If they run out of crew duty day, they leave. But gas is not a factor because we are up there providing them capability.”
An F-15 fighter pilot and combat systems officer supporting the air campaign against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria waves to a KC-135 Stratotanker after the aircraft had completed refueling in midair over Iraq on March 24, 2016. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
An F-16 fighter supporting air operations against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria undergoes a midair refueling from a KC-135 Stratotanker on March 24, 2016. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
KC-135 Stratotanker co-pilot 1st Lt. Scott checks equipment prior to taking off from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar for a refueling mission in support of the air campaign against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria on March 24, 2016. Crewmembers could not be identified by their full names for security reasons. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft commander and pilot Maj. Joe drives the aircraft during taxiing prior to taking off from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar for a refueling mission in support of the air campaign against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria on March 24, 2016. Crewmembers could not be identified by their full names for security reasons. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft commander and pilot Maj. Joe flies the aircraft shortly after takeoff from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar for a refueling mission in support of the air campaign against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria on March 24, 2016. Crewmembers could not be identified by their full names for security reasons. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
An F-15 fighter flies alongside a KC-135 Stratotanker while supporting air operations against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria on March 24, 2016. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
An F-15 fighter supporting air operations against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria refuels from a KC-135 Stratotanker over the Persian Gulf on March 24, 2016. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
KC-135 Stratotanker Boom Operator Chief Master Sgt. Tim sits in the cockpit between aircraft refuelings on March 24, 2016. Crewmembers could not be identified by their full names for security reasons. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
An F-15 combat systems officer looks over at the boom, a long arm that connects the fighter with a KC-135 Stratotanker during a midair refueling operation on March 24, 2016. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
An F-15 pilot waits while his fighter aircraft is refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker on March 24, 2016. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
An F-16 fighter pilot supporting the air campaign against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria waves after his aircraft finishes refueling on March 24, 2016. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
An F-16 fighter supporting the air campaign against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria maneuvers away from a KC-135 Stratotanker after an aerial refueling on March 24, 2016. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
An F-16 fighter supporting operations against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria maneuvers away from a KC-135 Stratotanker after an aerial refueling on March 24, 2016. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
An F-16 fighter pilot looks on as his aircraft is refueled in midair by a KC-135 Stratotanker on March 24, 2016. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
KC-135 Stratotanker Boom Operator Chief Master Sgt. Tim looks out at the aircraft he is helping refuel to ensure it is in a safe position during the entire process on March 24, 2016. Crewmembers could not be identified by their full names for security reasons. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
KC-135 Stratotanker co-pilot 1st Lt. Scott and the crew fly back to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on March 24, 2016, after refueling F-15 and F-16 fighters supporting the air campaign against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. Crewmembers could not be identified by their full names for security reasons. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft commander and pilot Maj. Joe, left, and co-pilot 1st Lt. Scott fly the aircraft and maintain radio communications throughout their refueling mission on March 24, 2016, in support of the air campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Crewmembers could not be identified by their full names for security reasons. (Chris Church/Stars and Stripes)
From Jan. 1 to March 20, the 340th’s KC-135s off-loaded more than 97 million pounds of fuel, according to a spokesman for the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, which oversees the 340th.
In 2015, the refueling fleet from Al Udeid flew more than 14,700 sorties, accumulating about 103,419 combat hours in support of operations in Afghanistan and Operation Inherent Resolve, the campaign to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, according to the 379th.
The Stratotankers are used to refuel aircraft from all service branches and occasionally foreign aircraft that have agreements with the U.S., Richard said.
To meet its mission, the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron is comprised of active duty, reserve and guard components deployed from across the U.S.
“Basically, anywhere a KC-135 is stationed, we have people coming from that location at one point or another,” Richard said.
There are about 60 crews and about 25 KC-135 flights a day, officials said.
The size of the squadron and tempo of the mission create a number of challenges, including crew rotations, training of incoming crews, flight times, mission flow and balancing fuel offloaded versus fuel available, Richard said.
Maintenance of the aging airframes — KC-135s have been used for about 60 years — poses another challenge, as does severe weather.
“We don’t stop,” Richard said. “If there is any way we can get tankers off the ground to support the mission, we will get the tankers off the ground to support the mission.”
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