Sky-High Fill-Ups:
Mid-flight refueling explained
Danger Zone: High Stakes, High G's!
Imagine piloting an E/A-18G Growler and running critically low on fuel while returning from a combat mission. You decide to rendezvous with an F/A-18 configured as the missionโs air refueling asset - essentially a flying gas station circling nearby.
This aerial pit stop happens at speeds up to 300 mph and altitudes up to 35,000 feet. The receiving aircraft must maintain perfect formation while connecting their refueling probe to a cone-shaped drogue (basket) and fuel hose trailing about 50 feet behind the tanker. Itโs a test of skill, nerves, and concentration that Navy carrier pilots perform on nearly every mission.
Airborne refueling tankers come in all shapes and sizes - they just need the equipment to transfer fuel and large onboard storage tanks to hold the fuel. They can be Air Wing assets such as the KA-6D tanker version of the
Intruder (retired in the mid-1990s) or today the F/A-18E or G configured with an external air refueling system. They can also be Air Force tankers such as the KC-135 Stratotanker or the USMC KC-130 Hercules.
Photo Caption: An F/A-18E with an external air refueling system (โBuddy Storeโ) transfers fuel to an E/A-18G Growler
The Sky-High Pit Stop: A Brief History
Inflight refueling, first successfully demonstrated in 1923, became a game-changer for military aviation. By the 1950s, it was a crucial capability for the U.S. Navy, extending the range and time on station of carrier aircraft during various missions. Today, it's an essential part of global naval operations.
Photo Caption: A U.S. Navy A3D-2 Skywarrior refuels an F9F-7 Cougar during refueling equipment tests in the mid-1950s.
Precision Teamwork in Action
The high-stakes choreography of inflight refueling involves two aircraft and highly trained crews. To begin the operation, receiving aircraft rendezvous on the left wing of the tanker. The tanker aircraft extends its refueling apparatus, which trails out behind and below the tanker in the wind stream.
Two main refueling methods are used:
1) Probe and Drogue Method: In this Navy method, the tanker aircraft unreels a long flexible hose that trails behind and below the aircraft. At the end of the hose is a flexible cone-shaped receptacle known as a drogue or basket. The receiving aircraft extends a device called a probe that is inserted into the center of the basket. The drogue is not controlled by the tanker, so the receiver aircraft must fly his probe directly into the basket and push about ten feet of hose back onto the hose drum to activate fuel transfer.
2) Boom and Receptacle Method: This USAF method uses a rigid, telescopic tube called a boom. At the end of the boom is a nozzle that plugs into the receiver aircraft to transfer fuel. A small V-shaped wing at the end of the boom enables the tanker boom operator to steer the boom towards the receiving aircraft, which is equipped with a recessed receiving socket in the fuselage. A boom-drogue adapter attached to the end of the KC-135โs boom can also support the Navyโs probe and drogue method of refueling. The KC-10 tanker has a mixed refueling system that can accommodate both Air Force and Navy aircraft.
Safety is paramount. While accidents have occurred, rigorous training and technological advancements have made the inflight refueling process much safer today.
Never-Ending Reach: Refueling for Extended Operations
Inflight refueling is used primarily to extend the airborne time and range of the aircraft being refueled. With repeated refuelings, aircraft range can be increased to thousands of miles. This capability allows the U.S. Navy to extend its operational reach, respond to crises quickly, and provide humanitarian aid in distant regions โ all without relying on forward bases.
In 2021, the Navyโs MQ-25 Stingray, an unmanned aerial drone, successfully refueled an F/A-18 Super Hornet and an F-35C Lightning II, marking a significant milestone in naval aviation.
Inflight refueling remains the invisible force multiplier that keeps America's naval air power flexible and responsive to various global situations.
Photo Caption: MQ-25 Stingray drone refueling an F/A-18 Super Hornet
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