Keeping F35-As flying 1600 mile from base

You just need to be organised.

One of the advanced toolbox functions is control of IFR beyond the standard game functions. Automated rendezvous of AC groups, adjustable refuel amounts to individual units in your desired order, refueling of IFR tankers from other tankers, use of IFR main tank fuel for refueling (and visa versa for extended IFR tanker range), auto stop of game when IFR routines have finished all make complicated air group patrols and strikes less demanding of the players time and concentration.

When your large IFR tanker has a dry refuel cell but a large amount of main tank fuel, you can 'pump' excess fuel from that main tank to the refuel cell.