McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender Tanker-Cargo Aircraft Family
The McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender adapted the DC-10 widebody for aerial refueling and strategic cargo. First flown in 1980 and entering U.S. Air Force service in 1981, it could refuel aircraft while carrying pallets, personnel, or aeromedical patients, and its combination of boom, hose-and-drogue equipment, and long range made it a major tanker-transport type until its final retirement in 2024.
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Identity
- Aliases
- KC-10KC-10AExtender
- Family Name
- McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender
- Full Name
- McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender Tanker-Cargo Aircraft Family
- Roles
- militarycargoutility
- Status
- retired
- Type
- aircraft
Details
- Aircraft Specs
- Configuration
- fixed_wing
- Operating Modes
- land
- Takeoff Landing Capabilities
- conventional
- Description
- The McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender adapted the DC-10 widebody for aerial refueling and strategic cargo. First flown in 1980 and entering U.S. Air Force service in 1981, it could refuel aircraft while carrying pallets, personnel, or aeromedical patients, and its combination of boom, hose-and-drogue equipment, and long range made it a major tanker-transport type until its final retirement in 2024.
- Dimensions
- Height M
- 17.4
- Length M
- 54.4
- Wingspan M
- 50
- First Flight Year
- 1,980
- Manufacturer
- Propulsion Configurations
- Entries
- Count
- 3
- Placement
- wing
- Propulsion System
- Role
- main
- Variant Notes
- The U.S. Air Force identifies three GE CF6-50C2 engines; the canonical relationship is intentionally family-level because the existing node represents the CF6 family.
- Name
- KC-10A CF6-50C2 configuration
- Notes
- The KC-10A uses three General Electric CF6-50C2 turbofans derived from the DC-10 installation.
- Entries
- Count
- 3
- Placement
- wing
- Propulsion System
- Role
- main
- Stage
- airframe
- Variant Notes
- General Electric CF6-50C2; McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extender
- Name
- KC-10A CF6-50C2 exact installation
- Notes
- The U.S. Air Force identifies three General Electric CF6-50C2 turbofans on the KC-10A Extender.
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- Creation Time
- July 30, 2026 at 19:59:11 UTC
- Updated Time
- August 14, 2026 at 04:56:07 UTC