In an era of increasingly unpredictable conflict, affordable and fast modernization of the KC-135 aerial tanker is vital to ensuring an aerial refueling capability remains available and mission-ready around the globe.
With KC-135s expected to remain in service beyond 2050, tailored avionics upgrades can help extend fleet viability and deliver capability needed to support evolving mission demands. L3Harris Technologies brings decades of modernization and modification expertise in the defense industry, providing a low-risk avionics option that is fast to field.
Maintaining Fleet Readiness and Reducing Risk
KC-135 avionics modernization upgrades aging, obsolete flight deck instrumentation with new digital technology, extending aircraft operations for decades and reducing maintenance risk, sustainment cost and aircrew workload. L3Harris’ solution leverages government-owned architecture and a mature C-135 baseline to provide an open foundation for future modernization, reducing integration risk and offering a path to field new capabilities while preserving aircraft readiness. This approach helps ensure these aircraft continue to provide a distributed global network of aerial refueling capacity, keeping close to operational forces, training routes, homeland missions and global deployment corridors.
Decades of Avionics Experience Connected Globally
As KC-135 fleets continue to meet growing mission demands, aging avionics and diminishing parts availability can increase sustainment challenges and impact aircraft readiness. Using commercially proven components with industry-standard interfaces, L3Harris’ solution provides a flexible architecture that reduces vendor lock and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) control. L3Harris has completed mission systems upgrades for C-135 variants for the U.S. Air Force and the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force, keeping aircraft available and ready for decades of continued service.
*The appearance of U.S. Department of War (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement.
