U.S. Air Power KC-10 Extender plane, sometimes used within the U.S. Central Command space of duty for aerial refueling missions, lately flexed to streamline a significant motion of cargo, personnel and F-15E Strike Eagle plane throughout the theater. The 494th hit the bottom operating at ADAB and spent 66 days supporting the CENTCOM Air Tasking Order. Throughout these missions, KC-10s from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron ceaselessly supplied aerial refueling assist to the fighter squadron, so the 2 models loved an in depth partnership.

An F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron prepares for takeoff July 5, 2021 from Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. (U.S. Air Power picture by Grasp Sgt. Wolfram M. Stumpf)

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“We have now labored with the F-15s out of ADAB for years. We assist dragging the fighters stationed at ADAB into nation and stay with them as a devoted tanker, or we fly into nation and assist particular tanker contracts with the F-15s from different bases to make sure they’ll accomplish their mission with out divert. With out the KC-10 to assist, they had been laborious pressed to make the journey multi function go,” defined Maj. Austin Bentley, operations officer, 908 EARS.

A KC-10 Extender from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron and several F-15E Strike Eagles assigned to the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron prepare for takeoff July 5, 2021 from Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates.
A KC-10 Extender from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron and a number of other F-15E Strike Eagles assigned to the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron put together for takeoff July 5, 2021 from Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. (U.S. Air Power picture by Grasp Sgt. Wolfram M. Stumpf)

Roughly half of the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron ahead deployed to ADAB from an undisclosed location in April so as to “assist the Resolute Assist mission set and enhance the defensive posture within the Arabian Peninsula, in addition to to focus on the 494th’s capacity to venture energy ahead into the AOR using the agile fight employment idea,” defined U.S. Air Power Capt. Trey Pollard, F-15E fighter weapons programs officer, 494 EFS.

A KC-10 Extender from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron takes off July 5, 2021 from Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates.
A KC-10 Extender from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron takes off July 5, 2021 from Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. (U.S. Air Power picture by Grasp Sgt. Wolfram M. Stumpf)

The McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is an American aerial refueling tanker plane operated by the USA Air Power (USAF). A army model of the three-engined DC-10 airliner, the KC-10 was developed from the Superior Tanker Cargo Plane Program.[N 1] It incorporates military-specific tools for its main roles of transport and aerial refueling. It was developed to complement the KC-135 Stratotanker following experiences in Southeast Asia and the Center East. The KC-10 was the second McDonnell Douglas transport plane to be chosen by the Air Power following the C-9. A complete of 60 KC-10s had been produced for the U.S. Air Power.

A KC-10 Extender from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron and an F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron prepare for takeoff July 5, 2021 from Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates.
A KC-10 Extender from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron and an F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron put together for takeoff July 5, 2021 from Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. (U.S. Air Power picture by Grasp Sgt. Wolfram M. Stumpf)