K35r Aircraft - Specifications Primary Function: Aerial refueling Contractor: Boeing Military Airplanes Power Plant: Four CFM-International F108-CF-100 turbofans Thrust: 22,224 pounds (10,000.8 kilograms) each engine Length: 136 feet, 3 inches (40.8 meters) Height: 38 feet, 4 inches (11.5 meters)
Wingspan: 130 feet, 10 inches (39.2 meters) Speed: Maximum speed at 30,000 feet (9,100 meters) 610 mph (Mach 0.93) Ceiling: 50,000 feet (15,152 meters) Weight: 119,231 pounds (53,654 kilograms) empty Maximum Takeoff Weight: 322,500 pounds (145,125 kilograms)
K35r Aircraft
Range: 11,192 miles (9,732 nautical miles) with 120,000 pounds (54,000 kilograms) of transfer fuel. Crew: Four or five; up to 80 passengers. Date Deployed: August 1965. Unit Cost: KC-135R, $53 million; KC-135E, $30.6 million; KC-135A, $26.1 million.
Usage And Flight Routes Of Theboeing Kc- Stratotanker
Inventory: Active force, 457; Reserves, 30; ANG, 158. The main role of the KC-135 is to provide aerial refueling support to bombers, fighters, transports, and other aircraft using its integrated boom and hose assembly system. The KC-135 can also be configured to transport cargo or passengers, or to be used as an airborne command post or hospital facility.
Because the KC-135R uses as much as 27 percent less fuel than the KC-135A, the USAF can expect huge fuel savings by re-engineering its fleet of KC-135s - about $1.7 billion over 15 years of operation.
That's enough to fill the gas tanks of some 7.7 million American cars each year for a decade and a half. Annual savings are estimated to be about 2.3 to 3.2 million barrels of fuel, about three to four percent of the USAF's annual fuel use.
This equals the fuel needed to provide electrical power for 145 days to a city of 350,000 to 400,000. The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is a military aerial refueling tanker aircraft. The KC-135 was the U.S. Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the piston-engined KC-97 Stratotanker in the 1960s.
Design Of The Boeing Kc- Stratotanker
The KC-135 is currently operated by the U.S. Air Force, Air National Guard, and NASA. This improvement is a result of the KC-135R's lower fuel consumption and increased performance which allows the tanker to take off with more fuel
and carry it further. Since the airplane can carry more fuel and burn less of it during a mission, it's possible to transfer a much larger amount to the receiver aircraft. The KC-135 has been used extensively in military operations since its introduction.
It has participated in conflicts such as the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. There are currently more than 500 KC-135s in service with the US Air Force. The KC-135 tanker fleet made an invaluable contribution to the success of Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf, flying around-the-clock missions to maintain the operability of allied warplanes.
The KC-135s form the backbone of the Air Force tanker fleet, meeting the aerial refueling requirements of bomber, fighter, cargo and reconnaissance forces, as well as the needs of the Navy, Marines and allied nations. The program included acquisition of used 707s, procurement of
Overview Of The Boeing Kc- Stratotanker
purchased parts and equipment, basic engineering, some parts manufacturing, and refurbishment and installation of the engines, struts and cowling. Kits also included improved brakes, cockpit controls and instruments. Four turbojets, mounted under wings swept 35 degrees, power the KC-135.
Nearly all internal fuel can be pumped through the tanker's flying boom, the KC-135's primary fuel transfer method. A special shuttlecock-shaped drogue, attached to and trailed behind the flying boom, is used to refuel aircraft fitted with probes.
An operator stationed in the rear of the plane controls the boom. A cargo deck above the refueling system holds passengers or cargo. Depending on fuel storage configuration, the KC-135 can carry up to 83,000 pounds (37,350 kilograms) of cargo.
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is a military aerial refueling tanker aircraft. It was initially designed to replace the piston-engined KC-97 Stratofreighter. The KC-135 entered service with the United States Air Force in 1957. It is currently operated by the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command.
The primary mission of the KC-135 Stratotanker is to provide air refueling support to U. S. military aircraft and bases around the globe. The tankers are also used for humanitarian and disaster relief operations, as well as supporting scientific research missions.
Boeing believes that an avionics modernization program is essential to assure the KC-135 has the technology to perform its mission well in the years ahead. An integrated avionics system would be easier to operate and maintain.
The new digital cockpit would include an upgraded multiplex data bus and integration software, integrating global positioning, ground collision avoidance, mission management and inertial navigation systems. Controls would include multi functional electronic displays and centralized control
panels. The KC-135 is capable of carrying up to 34,000 pounds (15,000 kg) of fuel, which it can offload in about half an hour using its multi-point refueling system. The aircraft also has a cargo compartment that can accommodate up to 62,000 pounds (28,000 kg) of cargo or 120 passengers.
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is a military aerial refueling aircraft. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and entered service in 1957. It is capable of carrying up to 200,000 pounds (91,000 kg) of fuel and can refuel most US military aircraft in service.
Because the KC-135A's original engines are of 1950s technology, they don't meet modern standards of increased fuel efficiency, reduced pollution and reduced noise levels. By installing new, CFM56 engines, performance is enhanced and fuel off-load capability is dramatically
improved. In fact, the modification is so successful that two-re-engined KC-135Rs can do the work of three KC-135As. The Stratotanker is powered by four jet engines, which give it a cruising speed of 530 miles per hour (853 kilometers per hour) and a range of over 8,800 miles (14,080 kilometers).
The KC-135 has been continuously updated with new technologies over its 60 years of service; this has included updated engines, avionics, and other systems. The existing cockpit consists of electro-mechanical equipment of 1950s technology with individual control panels and instrumentation
distributed throughout. Failure rates are high and repair capability has been restricted significantly as technology has changed. Not only are repairs to the KC-135's existing avionics suite costly for the Air Force, but they also mean more down-time for the tanker while repairs are made.
Modem commercial airplane avionics are much more reliable than those aboard the KC-135. The KC-135 is powered by four turbofan engines and has a wingspan of 130 feet (40 m). It is 145 feet (44 m) long and has a maximum takeoff weight of 590,000 pounds (270,000 kg).
The Stratotanker can operate at altitudes up to 42,000 feet (13,000 m) and has a range of over 7,800 miles (12,600 km). The quieter, more fuel-efficient CFM56 engines are manufactured by CFM International, a company jointly owned by SNECMA of France, and
General Electric of the U.S. The engine is an advanced-technology, high- bypass turbofan; the military designation is F108-CF-100. Related system improvements are incorporated to improve the modified airplane's ability to carry out its mission, while decreasing overall maintenance and operation
costs. The modified airplane is designated a KC-135R. Additional cockpit improvements beyond the PACER CRAG program, would maximize crew efficiency and reduce operation and maintenance costs. With extensive experience in avionics integration, Boeing could offer a
new cockpit for the KC-135 that would increase avionics reliability, while allowing the potential for reducing the number of crew members. The newer cockpit would be part of an avionics modernization for the airplane. Boeing has delivered approximately 400 re-engined KC-135Rs and is
under contract for about 432 re-engine kits. Each kit includes struts, nacelles, 12.2 miles of wiring, and other system modification components. Engines are purchased directly by the Air Force from CFM International.
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