The US Air Force has reactivated a 68-year-old KC-135 Stratotanker from its Arizona "Boneyard" after a series of devastating losses in the war on Iran, including a mid-air collision over Iraq and Iranian attacks on a US base in Saudi Arabia that damaged multiple aircraft.
A March collision between two KC-135s over western Iraq killed all six crew members aboard.
Shortly afterward, Iranian strikes on a US base in Saudi Arabia severely damaged at least five additional KC-135s on the ground, with some suffering irreversible structural harm.
The cumulative losses have weakened the US tanker fleet, forcing the Air Force to turn to its strategic reserve of decommissioned aircraft.
FlightGlobal first reported that at least two KC-135s—including a 68-year-old model with the tail number 58-0011—have been transported from the Arizona desert to Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.
Tinker hosts the Air Logistics Complex, a major maintenance hub where the aircraft will undergo extensive overhauls for potential redeployment.
Davis-Monthan AFB, known as the "Boneyard," stores thousands of retired aircraft preserved by Arizona’s arid climate.
While many serve as parts donors, select models remain viable for reactivation during crises.
The KC-135, a Cold War-era workhorse, remains indispensable for mid-air refueling of fighters like the F-15, F-22, and F-35, as well as bombers such as the B-2.
Without these tankers, long-range and sustained operations—critical in conflicts like the war against Iran—would be severely limited.
The KC-135 was slated for replacement by the KC-46 Pegasus, but the newer model has faced persistent technical issues, particularly with its refueling boom.
As a result, the Air Force is now forced to rely on its aging fleet, pulling mothballed aircraft from the Arizona desert to fill the gap.