Between 17 February and 28 June 2026, Sofia Airport served as a temporary operating base for U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refuelling aircraft. At its peak, the deployment included up to 15 tankers supporting U.S. air operations in the Middle East.
This gallery follows the entire deployment, from the first arrivals during the winter of February to the final departures at the end of June, documenting every stage of the contingent's presence at Sofia Airport. During both the deployment and the subsequent withdrawal, numerous C-17 Globemaster III and C-130 Hercules transport flights delivered and later removed ground support equipment, vehicles, and personnel required to sustain the tanker operation.
The photographs provide a unique record of one of the largest and most unusual military aviation deployments ever conducted at a Bulgarian civilian airport.