Boeing CC-137

The Boeing CC-137 is a retired transport and tanker aircraft that served with the Canadian Forces from 1970 to 1997. The Boeing 707-347C aircraft provided long-range passenger transport for the military, VIP transport for government and air-to-air refuelling for fighters such as the CF-116 Freedom Fighter and CF-18 Hornet, and it was replaced by the Airbus CC-150 Polaris. In the 1960s the Royal Canadian Air Force needed to replace its ageing Canadair CC-106 Yukon and CC-109 Cosmopolitan transports and first considered the Boeing KC-135, but the chance to buy 707s soon appeared. Canada purchased five 707s in 1970 and 1971, the first four built for Western Airlines before that order was cancelled, and in 1972 two aircraft received Beechcraft probe and drogue refuelling pods. The fleet logged 191,154 hours, and most of it ended up with the E-8 Joint STARS programme.