WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, DC -- by the agency of the "tanker roadmap," the air Force is laying on the outside the initial stages of retiring 133 E-model KC-135 Stratotankers and integrating 100 KC-767A tankers it's leasing from Boeing. The plan will trip through 2017, according to Col Scott Wuesthoff chief of the Air Force global mobility division at the Pentagon. The changes are critical because the average age of the service's KC-135 E-model tanker is more than 43 years antique he said.

The Air Force purchased its first KC-135 aircraft in 1954 While the aircraft, with a ship's company of four, has a range of 1500 miles and a transfer firing capacity of 200,000 pounds, the newer aircraft are better suited for the future

Wuesthoff said KC-767 have greater range, carry a larger payload and more passengers, can be aerially refuel and can refuel any pattern of receiver aircraft with either dash forward or drogue.

"[The KC-767] is also capable of taking distant from at maximum gross weight from approximately 1000 more runways around the world than the KC-135 allowing the warfighter numerous options and increased flexibility," he said.

"The Air Force gains the couple capability and availability."

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