Italy Air Force KC-767s could support first F-35 transatlantic crossing

The Italian Air Force is aligned to complete the first transatlantic crossing of the Lockheed Martin F-35 when its first two aircraft fly from Novara, Italy, to Arizona in early 2016, and those aircraft are likely be refuelled along the way by Italian Boeing KC-767A tankers.
The US Marine Corps’ planned hop across the pond to London for the Farnborough Airshow last year was thwarted by an F-35A engine fire that temporarily grounded the entire fleet.
Now, with the delivery and successful first flight of the first Italian F-35A from the Cameri Final Assembly and Check Out facility, the Italian Air Force is expected to make the historic journey before any DOD aircraft, and its KC-767 is on track to be fully certified to support the crossing.
The KC-767 completed its first refuelling of an F-35 in late July during a qualification flight at Edwards AFB in California. It is the first international tanker to do so.
flightglobal