Watch: F-35 Stealth Fighters Refuel Mid-Air While Patrolling Middle East

KC-135 Stratotanker The KC-135 Stratotanker is a jet-powered refueling tanker, or something akin to a fueling station in the sky. The Boeing-made tanker is used to refuel other aircraft without them ever having to land. The aircraft has a wingspan of more than 130 feet, reaches speeds of 530 mph at 30,000 feet. feet, and can transfer a fuel load of 200,000 pounds. The KC-135's remarkable capabilities were highlighted by YouTuber Sam Ekholm in a popular video from 2023. A massive 28-foot-long pole known as the boom is attached to the underside of the tanker and can be extended out as far as 48 feet to connect to other aircraft in the sky while traveling at speeds exceeding 500 miles per hour. Fuel is then transferred at a rate of 600 gallons per minute, more than the average family car consumes in an entire year. The aircraft is based on the same design as the Boeing 707 airliner, but has a narrower fuselage and is shorter. The tanker has been used by the U.S. military for over 60 years, replacing the gasoline-powered Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter that came before it. The newer jet-powered aircraft were extensively used by the United States during the Vietnam War, enabling F-105 and F-4 fighter bombers and F-52 bombers to remain at the front lines for longer periods. The refueling tanker has since undergone various upgrades, including radar and GPS capabilities, and has been used in other operations conducted by the U.S. military, including Desert Storm and now Operation Epic Fury.