The first of a number of retired U.S. Air Force KC-10A Extenders understood to have been acquired by contractor Omega Aerial Refueling Services left Davis-Monthan AFB on Oct. 20 for San Antonio International Airport.
Now on the civil aircraft register as N82247, the trijet formerly carried the serial 86-0034 during its 35 year U.S. Air Force career. It was one of a small number of KC-10s withdrawn to the care of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) ‘boneyard’ at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona in 2021.
In 2025, 86-0034 was among the ten KC-10 airframes listed for auction via government auction. While officially unconfirmed, it was reported by Aviation Week that the San Antonio-based Omega Aerial Refueling Services had successfully made bids for all available airframes.
Omega Air Tanker’s first KC-10, N82247 (ex-86-0034), arrives at San Antonio International from Davis-Monthan AFB. Fresh out of storage and in desperate need of some new Omega paint. https://t.co/15Ngcqmlwa
— Skonk Chaser (@SkonkChaser) October 20, 2026
Omega’s current fleet comprises three former Royal Netherlands Air Force KDC-10 tankers alongside two KC-707s which were converted for probe and drogue refueling after purchase. Only two of these five tankers are outfitted for the flying boom refueling system favored by the U.S. Air Force.
Notably, the ten KC-10s sold at auction did not include the boom, and a boom was clearly not fitted to N82247 for its delivery flight. However, the future restoration of a boom refueling capability would certainly be possible if required for Omega’s contracts.
In recent years the company has provided a greater level of services for the U.S. Air Force, previously focusing on U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps contracts. In 2024, an Omega KDC-10 completed the first privately contracted refuelings of a B-52 Stratofortress and MC-130J Commando II, followed by the first C-17 Globemaster III a year later.
While commercial aerial refueling providers cannot complete the same frontline duties as air force tankers, their provision can be used during training and transit sorties to alleviate the burden on active duty aircraft. The U.S. Navy has, notably, called upon Omega’s aircraft on a regular basis to support fighters transiting across the Atlantic for quite some time.
The arrival of Metrea onto the commercial aerial refueling scene, operating a fleet of formerly French and Singaporean KC-135s, quickly saw the company secure supporting roles for the U.S. Air Force both at home and overseas.
#USAF United States Air Force
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker 1x
#A75AA2 N573MA – SWIFTBIRD 99
+ TABOR 31-32 Flt 2x “MO” F-15E Strike Eagles
The last two Mountain Home F-15s that have been stranded at RAF Lakenheath are returning home this evening, supported by a private KC-135 as SWIFTBIRD 99.
📸 @havoc_aviation (F15)
@MATA_osint
— Armchair Admiral 🇬🇧 (@ArmchairAdml) April 9, 2026
Omega’s fleet of ex-USAF KC-10s has now also been raised within the context of rumors about the possible reactivation of an SR-71 Blackbird by NASA. While fuel tank isolation was a feature that had to be modified onto the U.S. Air Force’s large KC-135 fleet (resulting in the KC-135Q, now KC-135T), this was fitted as standard on the KC-10. This allows any KC-10 to theoretically deliver the special JP-7 fuel required by the SR-71.
I learn something new everyday, I didn’t know this:
“The unique connection between the McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender and JP-7 jet fuel is that the KC-10 could mix and burn any unused JP-7 fuel right in its own engines.”
— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) October 9, 2026
As we reported earlier this month, some more of the retired KC-10s at the boneyard appear to have been earmarked as surplus for the purposes of foreign military sales program. This would see as many as four KC-10s transferred to an unspecified North African partner, which we believe to be either Egypt or Morocco.
Just as many feared the impending death of the trijet, particularly following the mass retirement of MD-11s following the fatal crash of UPS Flight 2976 in Nov. 2025, more and more of these iconic aircraft are gaining new leases of life.
Many thanks to Dan Rivera of Aircraft Expeditions for contributing his image of the KC-10’s departure.
