A French Air and Space Force C-135FR Stratolifter performs a flypast at RIAT 2023. Metrea acquired the French C-135 fleet in mid 2024, more than tripling its commercial aerial refuelling capability. (Janes/Sam Wise)
Metrea, based in Washington, DC, became the largest commercial operator of KC-135 aerial tankers when it acquired the French Air and Space Force's fleet of 11 C-135FR and three C-135RG aircraft in an agreement signed on 17 May, according to a company statement in July. The C-135FRs were transferred on 26 June, with the three C-135RGs to be handed over at a yet to be determined date, the statement said.
The company also provides “effects as a service” in areas such as airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), electronic warfare, secure communications, and advanced simulation, according to the Metrea website.
“We start from the point of wanting to frame both commercial technology and commercial business models together and that combination allows us to move faster and always be focused on the effect that the partner or the user actually needs,” Justin Johnson, head of strategy for Metrea, told Janes on 17 September at the Air & Space Forces Association's (AFA's) Air, Space, and Cyber conference at National Harbor, Maryland.
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