UK farewell to USAF KC-10 Extender that can get you anywhere in the world non-stop
The historic McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender of the United States Air Force has come to the UK to say its last goodbyes.
USAF Reserve Crew, 79th Refueling Air Squadron has had the "privilege" of bringing the last aircraft to the UK as the USAF is retiring it.
The KC-10 is the military version of the DC-10 airliner – and comes with the familiar three-engine layout of that jet.
Sixty were produced for the US Air Force, with the first entering service in 1981, and they have seen service in the 1986 bombing of Libya, the first Gulf War, the bombing of Yugoslavia, the second Gulf War and the Afghanistan conflict.
"I love it. I've been flying this aircraft for 10 years," Major Christian Rotter, 79th Air Refueling Squadron, told BFBS Forces News.
He added: "The range is amazing. My record flight is 16.7 hours, so it can pretty much get you anywhere in the world non-stop."
Although the KC-10's primary mission is aerial refuelling, it can combine the tasks of a tanker and cargo aircraft by refuelling fighters and simultaneously carrying the fighter support personnel and equipment on overseas deployments.
One of the key features of the KC-10 is it has two methods of delivering fuel.
Senior Airman Sam Nolan explained to Forces News: "We have a [aerial refuelling] boom and we also have a central line hose and drogue. So, what makes us special is that we can refuel aircraft equipped with a receptacle... and be able to switch between.
"The ability to transition between both means fuel offload is what makes us different than a lot of aircraft."
Initial US plans saw the KC-10 in service right through until 2043.
However, rationalisation of the US tanker fleet from three to two types resulted in the decision to retire the KC-10.
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