<article><hdr>Aerial shot of a KC-135A refuelling a B-52</hdr><body>
<hi style=afpcap>A factory fresh KC-135A Stratotanker performs an mid air refuelling with an equally new B-52G Stratofortress somewhere over the western United States. By the early '60s the combination of the KC-135A and the KC-97G provided Strategic Air Command with in excess of 1,000 aerial tankers, with aircraft dispersed to forward locations across the world enabling the bomber fleet to be truly a global capability. SAC frequently had B-52s on airborne alert maintaining a deterrent while all bomber bases had a number of bombers and tankers on standby alert with crews at readiness. The number of KC-135s has gradually been reduced as aircraft have been retired or reassigned to other duties. However the only version of the Stratofortress remaining operational is theB-52H with less than 100 in service. </hi>
