Argentine Air Force eyes two US-made Boeing KC-135R Stratotankers aircraft for incoming F-16 fighter fleet
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In an interview with Nicolás Promanzio on September 1, 2025, Brigadier Gustavo Valverde, Chief of the Argentine Air Force, explained that this branch is advancing its modernization process with the acquisition of 24 F-16 fighter jets from Denmark and supporting systems that include an official request for two KC-135 Stratotankers from the United States. Valverde stated that the KC-130 Hercules cannot fulfill the refueling requirements of the F-16s due to system incompatibility, making the KC-135 a necessary procurement. The chief detailed delivery schedules, training programs, infrastructure works, logistics planning, and parallel upgrades to the transport and rotary fleets, situating the acquisition within the broader restructuring of Argentina’s air capabilities and its entry into the international F-16 community.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Valverde explained that the KC-135 will become a central component of daily operations once integrated, allowing the Argentine Air Force to extend the range and endurance of the F-16s, sustain patrols, and take part in international exercises at greater distances from home bases. (Picture source: US Air Force)
Valverde confirmed that Argentina has formally requested two KC-135 Stratotankers, specifically KC-135R variants, through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program to provide aerial refueling for its incoming F-16 fleet. The KC-135R uses a boom system that is fully compatible with the F-16, unlike the KC-130 Hercules currently in service, which employs a probe-and-drogue method suitable only for older A-4 Skyhawks. The KC-135 also offers higher performance and the ability to operate at the altitudes and speeds required by modern fighters, making it essential for sustained missions. Valverde noted that the choice of the KC-135R over other tankers, such as the larger KC-10, reflects a preference for the aircraft most widely used by the United States and allied forces, such as Chile, ensuring standardization and interoperability. He also explained that Argentina’s geography, with its long north–south extension, makes aerial refueling essential to move fighters between regions without repeated landings. The KC-135 request has been placed, but Argentina must wait in a queue of other nations that have expressed interest, with deliveries depending on availability. Until then, the United States will provide KC-135s for ferrying the aircraft from Denmark to Argentina, accompanied by an Argentine C-130 for additional support.
The first six F-16s are scheduled to arrive in Argentina in December, consisting of four two-seat aircraft and two single-seat versions. Argentine pilots will occupy the rear seats of the two-seat jets on the ferry flights, with Danish crews in the front seats. The transfer will take three to four days, with planned stopovers for rest and technical checks, and all 24 aircraft will be delivered by air in similar rotations. Training is taking place in multiple locations: Argentine pilots are already using simulators installed in the 6th Air Brigade and undergoing centrifuge and hypobaric chamber exercises in the United States to prepare for 9G flight. A full flight simulator has been acquired and is currently based in Denmark until the entire fleet is delivered. Maintenance personnel are undergoing type courses in Phoenix, will return to Argentina, and then travel to Denmark to join the ferry operation as part of the support team.
The KC-135 Stratotanker was developed from Boeing’s 367-80 prototype and entered service with the United States Air Force in 1957 as a dedicated aerial refueling aircraft. Its original purpose was to extend the range of long-range bombers during the Cold War by providing in-flight refueling at high subsonic speeds and altitudes up to 50,000 feet. The aircraft employs a flying boom refueling system controlled by a boom operator lying prone at the rear of the fuselage, while some airframes were also fitted with a drogue adapter to allow probe-equipped aircraft to connect. Beyond its primary role, the KC-135 can carry mixed loads of fuel and cargo, with figures of up to 83,000 pounds of freight documented, allowing the airframe to combine refueling with limited transport tasks. Standard crew includes a pilot, co-pilot, and boom operator, with a navigator added on some missions, depending on operational requirements.
The KC-135R is the extensively modernized version that resulted from re-engining programs conducted in the 1980s and 1990s. Early KC-135A models used Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojets, which were replaced by CFM International CFM56 turbofans that provided greater thrust, reduced fuel consumption, and lowered noise levels. U.S. Air Force data highlights that the KC-135R offers up to 50 percent more fuel offload, 25 percent better fuel economy, and 25 percent lower operating costs compared to the earlier versions. Additional cockpit upgrades under Block 45 modernization added digital displays, a new autopilot, and an advanced flight director system, increasing reliability and extending service life. Some aircraft also received Multi-point Refueling System wing pods to allow probe-and-drogue operations alongside the central boom, and a small number of KC-135R(RT) were modified with receiver capability to accept fuel themselves, a role useful for force extension and special operations. The airframe can also be configured for aeromedical evacuation or to carry up to six 463L pallets when not used exclusively for refueling.
The KC-135 fleet has supported nearly every major U.S. military operation, from the Vietnam War to more recent conflicts in the Middle East, by enabling fighters, bombers, reconnaissance, and transport aircraft to extend their missions. Originally built to support Strategic Air Command, it later adapted to worldwide expeditionary roles and remains in use today despite the introduction of successor platforms. In addition to the United States, allied operators such as Chile, Turkey, France, and Singapore have fielded KC-135E or KC-135R versions, using them to support regional and international commitments. Within the U.S. fleet, the larger KC-10 Extender supplemented the KC-135 for decades, but the KC-135 remained the backbone of refueling operations, and upgrade programs have kept it viable well into the twenty-first century. Studies and service plans have repeatedly projected continued use, provided maintenance and structural reinforcement programs are sustained, making it one of the longest-serving aircraft types in modern air forces.
Other modernization efforts include expanding drone use and considering airborne early warning platforms. The Air Force continues to operate the domestically developed Búho UAV, which supported the Escorpio rocket launch in May and will again support a second launch in November, advancing Argentina’s low Earth orbit capabilities. On drones, Argentina is considering a joint procurement for all services to ensure compatibility and affordability, given the high cost of advanced platforms. For airborne early warning, Valverde stated that the Air Force is evaluating smaller, sensor-equipped aircraft such as Embraer E-99, Bombardier Global-based options, or Saab 340 configurations, rather than large four-engine platforms like the E-3 AWACS, in order to balance capability, operating costs, and availability. Plans for Antarctic operations include restoring a fixed-wing and helicopter presence at Marambio and supporting future expeditions to the South Pole within a sustained scientific and military framework. Together with the KC-135 request and F-16 integration, these initiatives reflect a wide-ranging modernization effort across the Fuerza Aérea Argentina.
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In an interview with Nicolás Promanzio on September 1, 2025, Brigadier Gustavo Valverde, Chief of the Argentine Air Force, explained that this branch is advancing its modernization process with the acquisition of 24 F-16 fighter jets from Denmark and supporting systems that include an official request for two KC-135 Stratotankers from the United States. Valverde stated that the KC-130 Hercules cannot fulfill the refueling requirements of the F-16s due to system incompatibility, making the KC-135 a necessary procurement. The chief detailed delivery schedules, training programs, infrastructure works, logistics planning, and parallel upgrades to the transport and rotary fleets, situating the acquisition within the broader restructuring of Argentina’s air capabilities and its entry into the international F-16 community.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Valverde explained that the KC-135 will become a central component of daily operations once integrated, allowing the Argentine Air Force to extend the range and endurance of the F-16s, sustain patrols, and take part in international exercises at greater distances from home bases. (Picture source: US Air Force)
Valverde confirmed that Argentina has formally requested two KC-135 Stratotankers, specifically KC-135R variants, through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program to provide aerial refueling for its incoming F-16 fleet. The KC-135R uses a boom system that is fully compatible with the F-16, unlike the KC-130 Hercules currently in service, which employs a probe-and-drogue method suitable only for older A-4 Skyhawks. The KC-135 also offers higher performance and the ability to operate at the altitudes and speeds required by modern fighters, making it essential for sustained missions. Valverde noted that the choice of the KC-135R over other tankers, such as the larger KC-10, reflects a preference for the aircraft most widely used by the United States and allied forces, such as Chile, ensuring standardization and interoperability. He also explained that Argentina’s geography, with its long north–south extension, makes aerial refueling essential to move fighters between regions without repeated landings. The KC-135 request has been placed, but Argentina must wait in a queue of other nations that have expressed interest, with deliveries depending on availability. Until then, the United States will provide KC-135s for ferrying the aircraft from Denmark to Argentina, accompanied by an Argentine C-130 for additional support.
The first six F-16s are scheduled to arrive in Argentina in December, consisting of four two-seat aircraft and two single-seat versions. Argentine pilots will occupy the rear seats of the two-seat jets on the ferry flights, with Danish crews in the front seats. The transfer will take three to four days, with planned stopovers for rest and technical checks, and all 24 aircraft will be delivered by air in similar rotations. Training is taking place in multiple locations: Argentine pilots are already using simulators installed in the 6th Air Brigade and undergoing centrifuge and hypobaric chamber exercises in the United States to prepare for 9G flight. A full flight simulator has been acquired and is currently based in Denmark until the entire fleet is delivered. Maintenance personnel are undergoing type courses in Phoenix, will return to Argentina, and then travel to Denmark to join the ferry operation as part of the support team.
The KC-135 Stratotanker was developed from Boeing’s 367-80 prototype and entered service with the United States Air Force in 1957 as a dedicated aerial refueling aircraft. Its original purpose was to extend the range of long-range bombers during the Cold War by providing in-flight refueling at high subsonic speeds and altitudes up to 50,000 feet. The aircraft employs a flying boom refueling system controlled by a boom operator lying prone at the rear of the fuselage, while some airframes were also fitted with a drogue adapter to allow probe-equipped aircraft to connect. Beyond its primary role, the KC-135 can carry mixed loads of fuel and cargo, with figures of up to 83,000 pounds of freight documented, allowing the airframe to combine refueling with limited transport tasks. Standard crew includes a pilot, co-pilot, and boom operator, with a navigator added on some missions, depending on operational requirements.
The KC-135R is the extensively modernized version that resulted from re-engining programs conducted in the 1980s and 1990s. Early KC-135A models used Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojets, which were replaced by CFM International CFM56 turbofans that provided greater thrust, reduced fuel consumption, and lowered noise levels. U.S. Air Force data highlights that the KC-135R offers up to 50 percent more fuel offload, 25 percent better fuel economy, and 25 percent lower operating costs compared to the earlier versions. Additional cockpit upgrades under Block 45 modernization added digital displays, a new autopilot, and an advanced flight director system, increasing reliability and extending service life. Some aircraft also received Multi-point Refueling System wing pods to allow probe-and-drogue operations alongside the central boom, and a small number of KC-135R(RT) were modified with receiver capability to accept fuel themselves, a role useful for force extension and special operations. The airframe can also be configured for aeromedical evacuation or to carry up to six 463L pallets when not used exclusively for refueling.
The KC-135 fleet has supported nearly every major U.S. military operation, from the Vietnam War to more recent conflicts in the Middle East, by enabling fighters, bombers, reconnaissance, and transport aircraft to extend their missions. Originally built to support Strategic Air Command, it later adapted to worldwide expeditionary roles and remains in use today despite the introduction of successor platforms. In addition to the United States, allied operators such as Chile, Turkey, France, and Singapore have fielded KC-135E or KC-135R versions, using them to support regional and international commitments. Within the U.S. fleet, the larger KC-10 Extender supplemented the KC-135 for decades, but the KC-135 remained the backbone of refueling operations, and upgrade programs have kept it viable well into the twenty-first century. Studies and service plans have repeatedly projected continued use, provided maintenance and structural reinforcement programs are sustained, making it one of the longest-serving aircraft types in modern air forces.
Other modernization efforts include expanding drone use and considering airborne early warning platforms. The Air Force continues to operate the domestically developed Búho UAV, which supported the Escorpio rocket launch in May and will again support a second launch in November, advancing Argentina’s low Earth orbit capabilities. On drones, Argentina is considering a joint procurement for all services to ensure compatibility and affordability, given the high cost of advanced platforms. For airborne early warning, Valverde stated that the Air Force is evaluating smaller, sensor-equipped aircraft such as Embraer E-99, Bombardier Global-based options, or Saab 340 configurations, rather than large four-engine platforms like the E-3 AWACS, in order to balance capability, operating costs, and availability. Plans for Antarctic operations include restoring a fixed-wing and helicopter presence at Marambio and supporting future expeditions to the South Pole within a sustained scientific and military framework. Together with the KC-135 request and F-16 integration, these initiatives reflect a wide-ranging modernization effort across the Fuerza Aérea Argentina.
