The McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is an American tanker and cargo aircraft that was operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1981 to 2024.

[2] The KC-10 played a key role in the mobilization of US military assets, taking part in overseas operations far from home.

During the Vietnam War, doubts began to form regarding the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker fleet's ability to meet the needs of the United States' global commitments.

The operation demonstrated the necessity for adequate air-refueling capabilities; denied landing rights in Europe, C-5 Galaxy transports were forced to carry a fraction of their maximum payload on direct flights from the continental United States to Israel.

The KC-10 boom operator cockpit is seated in the rear of the aircraft with a wide window for monitoring refueling rather than prone as in the KC-135.

[13] Unlike the KC-135, the KC-10's hose-and-drogue system allows refueling of Navy, Marine Corps, and most allied aircraft, all in one mission.

[14] A need for new transport aircraft for the Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht) was first identified in 1984.

[1] The conversion was handled via the United States foreign military sales program, which contracted McDonnell Douglas.

Because McDonnell Douglas did not have any experience with the requested Remote Aerial Refueling Operator (RARO) system, and because the third aircraft differed from the original two, the program could not be completed at budget.

By omitting the probe and drogue system and a fixed partition wall between the cargo and passenger, the cost could be limited at $96 million.

[1] To make up for the cost increase McDonnell Douglas hired Dutch companies to do part of the work.

This would have again increased the cost, but in the contract for the AH-64 Apaches which the Royal Netherlands Air Force also bought from McDonnell Douglas, the price was agreed to be kept at $96 million.

[1] In 2010, the USAF awarded a contract to Boeing to upgrade the fleet of 59 aircraft with new Communication, navigation and surveillance and air traffic management (CNS/ATM) system.

When faced with refusals of basing and overflight rights from continental European countries during Operation El Dorado Canyon, the U.S. was forced to use the UK-based F-111s in the 1986 air-strikes against Libya.

In the early stages of Operation Desert Shield, aerial refueling was key to the rapid airlift of materiel and forces.

The KC-10 flew 409 missions throughout the entire Allied Force campaign and continued support operations in Kosovo.

A "vertical chop" to divest all KC-10s was suggested because there are fewer KC-10s than KC-135s, having three different tanker models in service after the introduction of the KC-46 would be costly, and a "horizontal cut" across the refueling fleets would achieve small efficiencies.

[22] Some believed retiring the KC-10 would not benefit the Air Force, given that it is equipped with both boom and hose-and-drogue refueling systems and the fleet's relatively young age.

[23] At first, officials claimed that the initial focus on retiring the KC-10 in September 2013 was a "trial balloon" to call attention to Air Force operating cost issues.

[25] In July 2020, the first US KC-10 to be retired, tail number 86-0036, was transferred to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) for storage at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.

[30] On 26 September 2024, the KC-10 flew its final sortie on tail number 79-1948 bound for the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.

A third DC-10, registered T-255 was acquired and served for three years before being withdrawn from service in April 2014 due to Dutch defense cuts and flown to Newquay Airport for scrapping.

[37][34] On 17 September 1987, KC-10A serial number 82-0190 was undergoing maintenance on the ground at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, and suffered an explosion and subsequent fire.