To this effect, the secretive Skunk Works division at Lockheed Martin has published a rendering of a notional stealthy tanker, christened KC-Z, in support of the NGAS program. NGAS is an effort to replace the aging KC-46 and KC-135 tankers by the 2030s and will introduce a new era in air refueling.
First published by Aviation Week, the rendering shows a smaller aircraft compared to its predecessors, refueling an F-35A using the flying boom system. The design features a large lambda wing with canted twin tails; engines are buried inside the fuselage with air inlets positioned under the wing’s root. This stealthy configuration implies a significant move toward low observability for high-value air assets.
The U.S. Air Force has demonstrated a strong interest in novel approaches for a next-generation tanker designed to be survivable in contested airspace. The service released a request for information to the industry with an eye toward designs that can meet the demanding mission requirements. The NGAS program is the third increment in the Air Force’s tanker recapitalization plan, following the KC-46 and the interim KC-Y or “bridge tanker.”
General Mike Minihan, chief of Air Mobility Command, has thus far painted a vision of a future NGAS with three distinct roles for tankers. Traditional, commercially based tankers like the KC-46 would conduct the bulk of air refueling missions in uncontested environments. A second type would operate closer to the front lines, benefiting from better survivability and connectivity. A third, possibly KC-Z, would fly in the same contested airspace as fighters and demand advanced self-protection and networking capabilities.
Besides its primary mission of refueling, the KC-Z could have an open architecture, autonomy, and battle management. Some of those features may be added onto operational KC-46s even before NGAS becomes operational. However, the new tanker’s plan is not yet final, and funding and other big programs such as the B-21 Raider and Next Generation Air Dominance-NGAD will be a driving factor in this timeline.
The KC-Zs are designed to be stealthy for the protection of both the tanker and the receiver aircraft, such as the F-22, F-35, B-2, and B-21, in contested airspace. This stealthy design provides extended reach, enabling aircraft to operate farther from their bases with the ability to respond quickly against global threats. The KC-Z is expected to be larger than existing tankers, with substantial fuel capacity and advanced mission systems, including enhanced communication and electronic warfare capabilities.
There are, however, some valid counterarguments regarding the cost of development and maintenance. Other refueling solutions may be easier to handle and less expensive, such as unmanned tankers or those that employ ground-based systems. Logistic and operational difficulties may also be encountered with incorporating the KC-Z into current air operations since large changes would be necessary in training, tactics, and maintenance processes.
The KC-Z would dramatically reshape the USAF’s strategic posture, allowing stealth aircraft to go deeper in contested airspace and, in so doing, raising the prospect of fundamentally changing the dynamics of air combat and deterrence. This elasticity of this force structure may have wider implications for the future of air warfare as reinforcement is extended for deterrence commitments to allies and partners.
As the development of the KC-Z continues to forge onward, the world will be watching its impact on the balance of power and the future of aerial warfare. The KC-Z represents an important evolution of air refueling to meet today’s requirements in modern warfare, perhaps enough to start an arms race as other nations try to develop their take on stealth tanker capabilities.