Tanker Exodus Starts in 2008:

May 22, 2006

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org

A tentative timeline unfurled last week by Air Force officials calls for deactivation of the first squadron of KC-135 tanker aircraft at Grand Forks AFB, N.D., in April 2008, reports the Grand Forks Herald. Officials completed a survey of the base for its new UAV mission and presented a preliminary transition plan (see above). They said that the Air Force would release a final plan some time this fall.

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org

Trending Stories

F-15E Downed over Iran, A-10 Crashes in Region: 2 of 3 Airmen Rescued as Search Continues

Guard, Reserve Leaders Flag Concern over Recapitalizing Fighter Fleet 

B-52s Carrying JDAMs over Iran as US Bombers Play Growing Role in Air War

New EA-37B Electronic Attack Planes Spotted in UK, Join Iran Fight

Related

Pentagon Plans Major Boost in Spending and Research on Mass-Producing Munitions

April 3, 2026
The Pentagon's research labs are ramping up their search for munitions that can be mass-produced—an effort likely to be buoyed by billions of dollars in the department's new fiscal 2027 budget request and tens of billions in the upcoming years. While the topline information shared about the President’s defense budget…

B-52s Carrying JDAMs over Iran as US Bombers Play Growing Role in Air War

April 2, 2026
B-52 Stratofortress bombers marked a new first in Operation Epic Fury when some of the BUFFs flew over Iran carrying JDAM-guided gravity bombs, according to people familiar with the matter. The development signals a weakening of Iranian air defenses and a new use for the venerable bomber in the nearly…

Space Force to Create Futures-Like Group on HQ Staff

April 2, 2026
The Space Force plans to establish a new headquarters staff group focused on force design and analysis that will oversee and guide a number of future-oriented organizations, including the Space Warfighting Analysis Center and the Chief Science Officer. 

What Options Does the Air Force Have for E-3 Taken Out by Iran?

April 2, 2026
When an E-3 Sentry battle management aircraft was damaged in an Iranian attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, it sparked a host of questions about one of the Air Force’s oldest, smallest, but most critical fleets. Experts say the service doesn’t have many options to answer those questions.