For the primary time, a Chilean KC-135 refueled two U.S. F-35s that can participate in FIDAE 2026, marking the historically sturdy strategic ties between Chile and the U.S.
A Chilean Air Drive (Fuerza Aérea de Chile – FACh) KC-135E tanker plane refueled two U.S. Air Drive F-35A Lightning IIs for the primary time, the service and the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) mentioned on Apr. 5, 2026. The stealth jets have been on their strategy to the FIDAE 2026 protection exhibition within the South American nation, which is being held in Santiago from April 7 to 12.
SOUTCOM referred to as it a illustration of “Western Hemisphere partnership and readiness,” including they’re “united […] to make sure safety and stability within the area.” The FACh mentioned that the operation demonstrated “interoperability and a excessive degree of readiness of the army aviators.”
Each the fighters are a part of the F-35 Lightning II Demonstration Workforce. In line with flight monitoring account ‘Coronet deployments’, the 2 F-35As arrived on the Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez worldwide airport in Santiago on Apr. 4.
Histórico: #FACH realizó exitoso reabastecimiento en vuelo a aeronaves F-35 de la USAF, empleando un KC-135 en espacio aéreo internacional. La operación evidencia interoperabilidad y alto nivel de preparación de los aviadores militares. pic.twitter.com/9m4WjDaiNw
— Fuerza Aérea de Chile (@FACh_Chile) April 5, 2026
They have been supported by a KC-135R Stratotanker out of MacDill AFB, Florida, earlier than the FACh KC-135E took over in worldwide airspace. The exhibition’s official web page additionally reported on Mar. 22 the affirmation of the presence of a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine and maritime patrol plane, which will likely be stationed at Pudahel Air Base.
Confirmamos la presencia del P-8 Poseidon de la @USNavy en la próxima edición de #FIDAE2026.
📅 7 – 12 de Abril📍 Base Aérea Pudahuel pic.twitter.com/Yc4Ak8rgyQ
— FIDAE (@FIDAE_OFICIAL) March 22, 2026
An Airbus A400M and an Embraer KC-190 Millenium additionally landed in Chile for the FIDAE 2026, the expo’s web page introduced on Apr. 5 and Apr. 6, respectively. These plane are anticipated to take part in a future transport plane tender program the FACh is anticipated to announce, because it will get a number of modernization applications underway.
The deployment to Chile is amongst many U.S. steps to consolidate its conventional affect within the yard of Latin America, with the newest one being the operation to seize Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. U.S Navy parts from that deployment are nonetheless energetic within the Caribbean Sea, with the united statesIwo Jima Touchdown Helicopter Dock (LHD) and the united statesSan Antonio conducting routine operations.
With President Donald Trump’s hardline on Cuba in opposition to the federal government there, the F-35s in Chile mark Washington’s strategic resurgence in Central and South America, after many years of involvement in West Asia.
Chile-US ties and Chilean Air Drive fleet
The U.S. Air Drive had beforehand participated within the FIDAE, sending the F-22 Raptor Demonstration crew each in 2022 and 2024. The 2022 version additionally noticed a B-52 Stratofortress flyover.
The refueling of the F-35s from the FACh KC-135Es displays historically shut strategic and diplomatic ties between Chile and the U.S. That is very true if we take into account that the KC-135Es are former U.S. Air Drive plane that have been later offered to Chile.
Western Hemisphere partnership and readiness:
A Chilean Air Drive KC-135 supplies in-flight refueling for 2 @usairforce F-35 Lighting II plane close to Chile. The fighters are a part of an indication crew in Chile for the FIDAE air and house present in Santiago from April 7 -… pic.twitter.com/i4igCSjxRY
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) April 5, 2026
The remainder of the FACh’s stock is overwhelmingly American. Chile operates three KC-135Es it acquired from the U.S. starting in 2010, with the final one arrived on Mar. 9, 2012 on the services of the Aviation Group No. 10 at Pudauel Air Base.
The KC-135Es meet the refueling wants of the FACh’s 46 F-16 Preventing Falcons, break up into 11 F-16C/D Block 50s and 35 F-16AM/BM Block 15/20 MLU jets. Eleven twin-seat F-16Bs and F-16Ds are used as trainers.
Thirty-six F-16s are additionally slated to be upgraded to the M6.6 operational flight program, following a $177 million contract awarded to Lockheed in November 2023 beneath a Overseas Army Gross sales (FMS) program.
The service additionally operates three E-3D Sentry Airborne Warning and Management System (AWACS) plane, based on the 2026 World Air Forces report. These have been acquired in 2022 after acquisition from the Royal Air Drive (RAF), with two plane operational whereas one is used for harvesting spare components.
🇺🇸🇨🇱 | No es solo flamable lo que se transfiere… es interoperabilidad, precisión y un claro mensaje: Chile está listo para operar al más alto nivel. Es la prueba concreta de que la @FACh_Chile juega en las grandes ligas de la aviación militar mundial #Capacidades pic.twitter.com/c0VvB9AxuX
— Lautaro (@Lautaro_Chile) April 6, 2026
Chile additionally has different tanker-transport plane, particularly 4 KC-130Rs acquired from the U.S. Navy between 2015 and 2016, three of which are actually operational. They’re used to refuel the FACh’s 13 F-5E/F Tiger IIIs, with the ‘F’ variants used as trainers. Group 10 additionally operates different U.S.-origin plane for the transport/utility function, together with one every of Boeing B-767-300ER, B-737-330QC, and B-737-58N.
Chilean F-16 modernization
As talked about earlier, the November 2023 $177 million contract to improve 36 F-16 Block A/B 15/20s is anticipated to be accomplished by Sep. 30, 2032, with work carried out at Fort Price, Texas. The contracting discover says the M6.6 program contains an “operational flight program and methods improve, together with a software program replace to include the common armament interface.”
Protection Information, quoting Lockheed Martin officers, mentioned the FACh can even obtain upgrades together with Identification Buddy or Foe (IFF) system and a Hyperlink 16 tactical knowledge hyperlink system. The upgrades will preserve the F-16s related till the 2040s, when they’re anticipated to start retiring.
The improve work can also be anticipated to be carried out on the FACh’s upkeep workshops at Santiago and Antofagasta.
