On Mar 4, 11:57 am, Fred J. McCall wrote:

If you wanted to launch a strike with Hornets at any range
at all you needed your A-6s as tankers.

Or borrow those nice KC-10's from the Air Force.

There is historical precedent for countries willing to allow tankers
to operate and or overfly but not tactical aircraft. Whether one of
France, Spain or Italy (what was Treviso like back then?) would be
more willing to do so, I don't know, but I suspect so. Even if they
don't, only having your tankers fly the crazy by Gibralter route
rather than your attack aircraft is still a better situation.

Chris Manteuffel