Autonomous airliners still seem far away, but autonomous KC-135 tankers are something that the U.S. Air Force seems to be examining seriously.

Some time ago, we looked at a story involving single-pilot operations in KC-46 tankers. This aircraft is a military version of the 767, which is slowly replacing the KC-135. The old tankers, progeny of the same Boeing 367-80 that gave birth to the 707, are long overdue for replacement.

But that doesn’t mean that the U.S. Air Force doesn’t have ideas of how to use them next. The KC-135 fleet is getting harder to maintain, but there is no end of alternative roles for the aircraft – including, it seems, autonomous operations.

The U.S. Air Force has signed a contract with Merlin, a company specializing in aviation autonomy, in a program involving the KC-135. Initially, the company will aim to add systems to the aircraft that will improve crewed operations, taking some of the load off the pilots.

But ultimately, the Air Force and Merlin want to explore the possibility of autonomous operations for the KC-135. This could theoretically allow the aircraft to carry fuel into less friendly airspace while supporting various manned or perhaps unmanned aircraft.

From The KC-135 To Other Autonomous Jets?

Merlin is developing a software-based autonomy system, that it can adapt to multiple aircraft types. The company has previously worked on other, much smaller aircraft, like the King Air, the Twin Otter, a Cessna Caravan, and others.

The implications of such a program for commercial aviation could be far-reaching if it is successful. Many previously assumed that autonomous operations would likely involve newly-built aircraft, that already have advanced avionics and controls, like the Airbus A350 or the Boeing 787.

Adapting an aircraft like the KC-46, essentially the latest version of a 40+ year-old jet, to higher automation or autonomy, already seemed like a daunting prospect. But introducing autonomous operations on a KC-135 seems daunting on a different scale.

Not only do these jets have a three-person cockpit crew, but their refueling mission involves even more crew. However, the U.S. Air Force has been exploring the possibility of using its aging tanker fleet as aerial-launch drone platforms.

Once the KC-46 has replaced it, perhaps a fleet of autonomous KC-135 tankers could find such roles. Separately, the Air Force is also exploring the possibility of a future stealthy autonomous tanker.

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