The French Air and Space Force officially retired its last C-135FR Stratotanker on June 30, 2025, closing the chapter on more than six decades of aerial refueling operations.
A ceremony was held on June 30, 2025, at Air Base 125 in Istres-Le Tubé, near Marseille, to mark the occasion. It included a flypast by the Patrouille de France and a final overflight by the veteran tanker, symbolizing the end of an era.
The event also marked the inactivation of the 4/31 “Sologne” aerial refueling squadron, which had operated the C-135FR fleet for decades.
France initially acquired 12 of these aircraft in the early 1960s, based on the U.S.-built KC-135A but extensively modified for French service. In 1997, the fleet was expanded with three additional KC-135RG tankers purchased from the United States. All aircraft were eventually upgraded with CFM56 turbofan engines and avionics, aligning them closer to the KC-135R standard while retaining the French C-135FR designation.
For over 60 years, these aircraft formed the backbone of France’s aerial refueling capabilities, especially in support of its airborne component of the Force de dissuasion, France’s strategic nuclear deterrent.
The C-135FR fleet is now being replaced by the Airbus A330 MRTT “Phénix”, which also offers medical evacuation and strategic transport capabilities. The French Air and Space Force has ordered 15 A330 MRTTs, with 12 in service as of mid-2025. The final aircraft of the order is expected to be delivered by 2028.
Derived from the same airframe as the Boeing 707, the original KC-135 Stratotanker first entered service with the U.S. Air Force in 1957. The design later served as the foundation for numerous other military variants, including the RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft, EC-135 for airborne command and control, and the C-135 cargo aircraft.
With the retirement of the C-135FR, France joins a growing number of NATO allies transitioning to the A330 MRTT as the standard tanker platform in Europe.
3 comments
The KC-135 came first, not the 707
Correct. And the C-135 fuselage/cabin width had the equivalent of five-abreast seating, as did the prototype “707”, the Dash 80. The 707 fuselage/cabin width, developed from the C-135/Dash 80, has six-abreast seating, i.e. about 17″ wider.
The French aircraft were designated C-135F originally, and C-135FR after being re-equipped with newer engines. While the airframe was virtually identical to the USAF KC-135, it never carried that designation.