# Air Force asks who can regenerate retired KC-10 tankers for a North African partner

The work covers up to four KC-10s transferred as excess defense articles, plus ferry flights, in-country support and training. No solicitation is promised.

Published 2026-10-07 by TGOs. Canonical: https://tgos.io/news/2026/10/07/air-force-asks-who-can-regenerate-retired-kc-10/

The Air Force is asking industry who can take up to four retired KC-10 Extender tankers, return them to service and deliver them to "a partner nation in North Africa." The request for information, posted Wednesday, lists regeneration, a one-time flight clearance, depot-level return to service, worldwide ferry delivery, in-country contractor logistics support and operational and maintenance training.[3] Its title adds a three-to-five-year sustainment package.[3]

The tankers move as excess defense articles, which go to partners "as is, where is," at a reduced price based on condition or as a grant.[2] Under those terms the partner pays for transportation and any refurbishment, and the notice's title calls the effort a Foreign Military Sales program for the purchase of the aircraft.[2][3]

Much of the work is on a commercial-derivative airframe that the Air Force retired on Sept. 26, 2024.[1] The KC-10 is a modified DC-10 that retains 88 percent systems commonality with the airliner, and it flies on three General Electric CF6-50C2 turbofans.[1]

The notice doesn't name the country or put a value on the work.[3] The full request contains Controlled Unclassified Information and is restricted; companies ask for access by sending their name, company and CAGE code.[3] Responses should include estimated costs and are due Wednesday, Oct. 28, with no small-business set-aside.[3]

## Why it matters

The Oct. 28 responses feed what the notice calls "the appropriate acquisition decision for the procurement," and issuing the request doesn't restrict the government's ultimate acquisition approach.[3] The buyer's name has a separate gate: the Defense Security Cooperation Agency says that before Congress is notified, an excess-articles decision is not final and potential offers can't be disclosed.[2]

## Sources

1. U.S. Air Force: KC-10 Extender fact sheet <https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104520/kc-10-extender/>
2. Defense Security Cooperation Agency: Excess Defense Articles <https://www.dsca.mil/Programs/Defense-Trade-and-Arms-Transfers/Excess-Defense-Articles>
3. sam.gov <https://sam.gov/api/prod/opps/v2/opportunities/568b696058334b71a03aa084a5388d70>