×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Scale (2024) Special Forces

Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) KC-10 Extender


Advanced Tanker and Cargo Aircraft


United States | 1981



"In the early stages of Operation Desert Shield, in-flight refueling was key to the rapid airlift of coalition forces to the Persian Gulf region."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Advanced Tanker and Cargo Aircraft.
3 x General Electric CF6-50C2 turbofan engines delivering 52,500 pounds each.
Propulsion
600 mph
966 kph | 522 kts
Max Speed
41,755 ft
12,727 m | 8 miles
Service Ceiling
4,369 miles
7,032 km | 3,797 nm
Operational Range
6,870 ft/min
2,094 m/min
Rate-of-Climb
Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Advanced Tanker and Cargo Aircraft.
4
(MANNED)
Crew
178.5 ft
54.40 m
O/A Length
164.0 ft
(50.00 m)
O/A Width
57.1 ft
(17.40 m)
O/A Height
241,027 lb
(109,328 kg)
Empty Weight
585,327 lb
(265,500 kg)
MTOW
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) KC-10 Extender family line.
MD DC-10-30 - McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Airliner Model.
KC-10 - Base Series Designation; 60 examples produced.
KDC-10 - KC-10 conversion models for use by the Royal Netherlands Air Force; 4 examples produced.
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 03/18/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The KC-10 Extender airframe is based on a modified Boeing DC-10 (more precisely the "DC-10-30CF" model) and retains some 88 percent commonality of parts. Modifications are exclusive to the United States Air Force need and include revised military-grade avionics, satellite-based communications facilities, and an aerial refueling operator's station. The original DC-10 was a three-engine, widebody, jet-powered airliner entered civilian service in 1971 (with American Airlines). It featured seating for up to 380 passengers and was rated for medium- and long-distance air travel, replacing the DC-8 in the McDonnell Douglas marketing line. Production of all DC-10s officially ended in 1989 with 386 examples completed. While no longer being manufactured, the DC-10 is still in service worldwide with operators such as FedEX Express, KLM and World Airways. The USAF received a total of 60 KC-10 Extender examples from McDonnell Douglas of which 59 are still on active status. Deliveries of KC-10s spanned from 1981 to 1988 to which production lasted from 1979 to 1987. The Royal Netherlands Air Force is the only other military operator of the KC-10 Extender (known under the designation of KDC-10). While the KC-10 Extender is similar in scope to the competing Boeing KC-135 "Stratotanker", the KC-10 is a much larger airframe, carries more internal fuel and is of a more modern design (1981 versus 1957 respectively).

Refueling of other aircraft by the KC-10 Extender is accomplished either by way of an aerial refueling "hose and drogue" arrangement or by a conventional aerial refueling boom. The hose and drogue method supplies connected aircraft with a fuel transfer rate of approximately 470 gallons per minute while the boom refueling operation delivers some 1,100 gallons per minute. Lights are available for night time operations. The boom operation process is controlled by a dedicated seated boom operator viewing the situation through a wide-area window. This operator guides the boom through a digitally-based fly-by-wire control system. The refueling process is overseen by the Automatic Load Alleviation System (ALAS) as well as an Independent Disconnect System (ODS) feature to increase safety standards during the critical operation. The KC-10 retains the three base internal fuel tanks of the original DC-10 model but adds a further three large holding tanks under the cargo deck floor - one held forward, one near the wing assemblies and the other at aft. A KC-10 Extender can deliver fuel to another KC-10 or itself receive fuel from a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker if need be. The inherent flexibility of the KC-10 ensures that it can refuel just about any military aircraft in the US or NATO inventory - particularly outside of an active military theater, helping ferrying aircraft reach their bases in preparation for action.

Origins of the KC-10 lay in the lessons learned from the air war in Vietnam and during support of the Yom Kippur War in Israel. In 1975, the US Department of Defense was convinced of a new requirement for a more capable aerial refueling tanker alongside the KC-135 and enacted the "Advanced Tanker Cargo Aircraft" program. Competing designs included converted models of the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy heavy transport, the Boeing 747 passenger airliner, the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar passenger airliner and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 transport/passenger airliner. The final decision in December 1977 saw the DC-10 beat out the Boeing 747. First flight of the KC-10 conversion model occurred on July 12th, 1980.

The KC-10A model entered service in March of 1981 with USAF Strategic Air Command (SAC). The final twenty KC-10 airframes were then upgraded with wing-mounted fuel pods for extended refueling capabilities. A $216 million contract to Boeing was delivered to address updated avionics, navigation and communications suites to keep up with changing military and civilian airspace requirements. After their service in SAC ended come 1992, the KC-10 was assigned to the new elements of the Air Mobility Command. This included the 305th Air Mobility Wing out of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey as well as to the 60th Air Mobility Wing of Travis AFB out of California. The US Air Force Reserve Associate units (Air Force Reserve Command) also make use of the KC-10 with the 514th Air Mobility Wing at Joint Base McGuire and the 349th Air Mobility Wing at Travis AFB. The Netherlands 334th Squadron of Eindhoven Airport operates at least two KDC-10s as of this writing.

On August 1st, 1997, a merger with Boeing Company was officially completed, making McDonnell Douglas a subsidiary of the aircraft giant and former competitor. McDonnell Douglas itself was a merger of the McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft firms on April 28th, 1967.

In addition to its refueling capabilities, the KC-10 Extender has been designed to undertake various other battlefield roles to include cargo transport, support personnel transport and MedEvac patients and litters when required. Up to 75 personnel can be carried aloft and nearly 170,000lbs of cargo can be relocated. This means that, while the KC-10 can be called on to refuel allied aircraft on a given mission, it can also transport personnel, equipment and supplies in the same sortie making her a truly multi-faceted platform - this ability no doubt "extending" the reach of the United States Air Force. Cargo is handled via a loading door and integrated winches and powered rollers facilitate movement of heavy loads within the cargo deck area. Cargo can be switched out in favor of seating for personnel or a mixed assortment of both can be included.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.


The design of the KC-10 is not unlike the original DC-10. The fuselage is decidedly cylindrical in nature with the cockpit held well-forward in the layout. Six framed windows provide the flight crew with adequate forward and side visibility during taxiing and flight. Rectangular access doors are set along the fuselage side. The wings are low-mounted and swept along both edges. The empennage is conventional and sports a single vertical tail fin as well as applicable horizontal tail surfaces, the latter with noticeable dihedral. The undercarriage consists of an interesting arrangement of a trio of main landing legs and a nose landing gear leg. The two outboard legs showcase four total wheels while the centerline leg fields just two wheels. Similarly, the nose landing gear leg is fitted with two wheels. The KC-10 is crewed by a standard arrangement of four base personnel made up of two pilots, a dedicated flight engineer and the boom operator. Various sorties can dictate the need for additional specialists or crew as needed. The base MedEvac crew typically consists of three medical technicians and two flight nurses.

In keeping with the engine layout of the DC-10, the KC-10 is powered by three General Electric CF6-50C2 turbofan engines arranged in single engine nacelles (one under each wing) and the third near the base of the vertical tail fin. These engines supply the airframe with up to 52,500lbs of thrust each and allow for speeds near 619 miles per hour with a ceiling of 42,000 feet/ Maximum take-off weight is rated at 590,000lbs and overall range - sans any cargo - is in the vicinity of 11,500 miles. Maximum fuel load from all six internal fuel stores is 356,000lbs - noted as twice the available fuel carried by the smaller Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker series.

The KC-10 Extender was utilized in the 1986 air strikes against Libya. When USAF General Dynamics F-11 Aardvark strike fighters operating from the UK were denied overflights across Europe, the KC-10 ensured that these twenty-nine Aardvarks could reach the target areas and hit their marks.

The KC-10 Extender was later called to action in support of Gulf War during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Its versatility allowed aircrews to refuel the coalition-based air force that was made up of various aircraft types spanning decades and was responsible for relocating thousands of troops and tons of cargo pallets to the Persian Gulf region during the initial build-up phase. During the whole of the war, KC-10 crews maintained a spotless record of on-time fuel deliveries to awaiting aircraft and help extend flight times for strike, interception and bombing sorties.

The KC-10 Extender also partook of actions during the upcoming engagement of the Bosnia-Kosovo War as part of Operation Allied Force. KC-10s arrived in the theater as part of the NATO force by May of 1999 and were put to work in refueling the various American and European-based airframes. In all, the KC-10 recorded 409 sorties in the air campaign which eventually saw a major restructuring of the nation of Yugoslavia.

The KC-10 Extender family has continued to see extensive and ongoing actions since the 2001 American invasion of Afghanistan following the events of 9/11 and in the 2003 American invasion of Iraq to overthrow the Iraqi government and unseat leader Saddam Hussein. To that end, the KC-10 is sure to provide several more years of faithful service to the United States Air Force and NATO. Boeing estimates its KC-10 to last past 2015.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

2014 - the active fleet of 59 USAF KC-10 Extenders is on the chopping block for budgetary reasons. The fleet may be retired as they require modernization to its avionics, communications and navigation systems.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) KC-10 Extender. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 64 Units

Contractor(s): McDonnell Douglas / Boeing - USA
National flag of the Netherlands National flag of the United States

[ Netherlands; United States ]
1 / 10
Image of the Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) KC-10 Extender
Front left side view of the McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender
2 / 10
Image of the Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) KC-10 Extender
View of the forward fuselage of the McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender
3 / 10
Image of the Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) KC-10 Extender
Front left side view of a McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender
4 / 10
Image of the Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) KC-10 Extender
A McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender comes in for a landing
5 / 10
Image of the Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) KC-10 Extender
Close-up detail view of the McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender
6 / 10
Image of the Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) KC-10 Extender
Close-up detail view of the empennage on a McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender
7 / 10
Image of the Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) KC-10 Extender
Detail view of the undercarriage of a McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender
8 / 10
Image of the Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) KC-10 Extender
Right side view of the McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender
9 / 10
Image of the Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) KC-10 Extender
Rear view of the McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender
10 / 10
Image of the Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) KC-10 Extender
Front view of the McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender

Going Further...
The Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) KC-10 Extender Advanced Tanker and Cargo Aircraft appears in the following collections:
HOME
AVIATION INDEX
AIRCRAFT BY COUNTRY
AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE AIRCRAFT
AIRCRAFT BY CONFLICT
AIRCRAFT BY TYPE
AIRCRAFT BY DECADE
ALLIED FORCE AIRCRAFT
COLD WAR AIRCRAFT
MODERN AIRCRAFT
STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND AIRCRAFT
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country World War Next

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)