France retires its last KC-135 tankers after 60 years of service

The French Air and Space Force is retiring its last Boeing KC-135 tanker aircraft on June 30, 2025, after more than 60 years of service. 

A ceremony, with the participation of the iconic Patrouille de France and a KC-135 overflight, will be held at Airbase 125 in Istres-Le Tubé, near Marseilles, marking the withdrawal from service of this veteran aircraft type.  

Following the retirement of this type, the aerial refueling squadron “4/31 Sologne”, of the French Air and Space Force, will also be inactivated. 

The KC-135 formed the backbone of France’s aerial resupply capabilities since 1964, particularly in support of the French Air Force strategic nuclear role. This type has since been progressively replaced by the Airbus A330 MRTT, the aerial tanker of choice for many European air forces. 

First delivered to the United States Air Force in 1957, the KC-135 Stratotanker, is derived from the same airframe design that gave origin to the iconic Boeing 707 airliner. This is a platform from which multiple other military aircraft have been derived, such as the C-135 cargo aircraft, the RC-135 for reconnaissance missions, and the EC-135 for electronic warfare. 

France purchased 12 KC-135s in the early 1960s, of which only three, reportedly, remained active as of June 2025. The French Air and Space Force acquired 15 A330 MRTTs to replace them, 12 of which were already in service by 2025. The last unit of this order was expected to be delivered by Airbus in 2028. 

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