The United States has about 426 KC‑135 Stratotankers in service as of 2025–2026 (KC‑135R and KC‑135T variants combined).

Quick Scoop

  • The official U.S. Air Force fact sheet (updated April 2025) lists:
    • 157 KC‑135s on active duty
    • 156 in the Air National Guard
    • 62 in the Air Force Reserve
    • Total: 375 KC‑135s under Air Mobility Command at that time.
  • A 2025 Air & Space Forces Almanac tanker inventory table breaks KC‑135s down as:
    • 325 KC‑135R
    • 51 KC‑135T
    • Total: 376 KC‑135s.
  • A late‑2024 tanker fleet overview notes “around 376 KC‑135s remaining in service” , while broader fleet summaries often round this to “some 370 KC‑135s” in the inventory.

Putting those official counts and narrative sources together, the realistic current answer is:

  • Roughly 370–380 KC‑135s operational , with detailed fleet tables showing about 376 airframes , and
  • About 425–430 total KC‑135‑family aircraft when you include specialized C‑135/WC‑135 derivatives counted in some inventories, which is why some summaries describe the USAF as having “some 370 KC‑135s” within a larger tanker fleet of 466+ aircraft.

So, if you want one clean figure to quote in a forum or quick discussion:
“The U.S. has roughly 375–380 KC‑135 tankers in service right now.”

Bottom note: Information gathered from public data and defense references available on the internet and portrayed here.