Military Air-To-Air Refueling Explained. The U
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Posted On: 03/19/2018 9:42:29 PM
Military Air-To-Air Refueling Explained.
The US military uses 2 types of air-to-air refuelling (AAR) equipment:
The USAF uses the "flying boom" system [tanker prods a receptacle on the aircraft being refuelled] on ageing KC-135 and KC-10 aircraft - the planned replacement KC-46 aircraft is currently delayed for a variety of reasons.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_KC-135_Stratotanker
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Dougl...0_Extender
Prior to the KC-46, the USAF was due to get the KC-45 - based on the Airbus A330 MRTT - similar to the Voyager aircraft now used by the Royal Air Force for AAR. Although the KC-45 won the original DoD competition 10 years ago, orders were cancelled due to an appeal by Boeing and "vested interest" in Washington. So the competition was re--run with changed parameters that favored Boeing. 10 years on, the Boeing built KC-46 is still not in service with the USAF.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EADS/Northrop_Grumman_KC-45
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_KC-46_Pegasus
The USN and USMC use the "probe and drogue" system [receiving aircraft prods a drogue basket on the end of a refuelling hose trailed by the tanker]. The USN no longer has a dedicated fast tanker since the KA-6D was retired as a cost cutting measure some years ago.
Operationally, the USN uses F/A-18 fighters with an underwing refuelling pod as tankers but their capacity is limited and it wasteful of the fatigue life of an ageing asset.
The USMC uses "slow" turboprop powered KC-130 tanker aircraft. If necessary, USAF flying boom tankers can have an adaptor fitted to do AAR with "probe and drogue" receivers.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/common...ueling.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_KC-130
The Royal Air Force uses the "probe & drogue" method of AAR. Over the last several years, it has been recapitalizing its' tanker fleet with a Private Finance Initiative that utilizes the state-of-the-art Voyager aircraft. This has allowed retirement of the disparate small fleets of ex-civil airliners previously used - the VC10 and the Tristar (some of which have been bought by $TMPS).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_TriSta...t2008.jpeg
There are plenty of instances when military AAR tanker capability is required but the tanker crew do not have to be military - for instance:
- Routine AAR requalification sorties for fast-jet aircrew.
- Trials [as recently done by another contractor with the X-47].
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega_Aerial_Re...Ranges.jpg
- Cross-Atlantic or Pacific deployments in friendly airspace - the Tristar can also carry a mix of passengers and cargo pallets. This would be an option for some of the smaller NATO air forces that attend exercises like RED FLAG in the USA.
- Delivery flights of military aircraft manufactured in the USA to overseas customers.
Accordingly, once $TMPS gets its' acquired ex-RAF tankers in the USA and certified - they are using 3 of the 6 aircraft as a spares source and the company is also an authorized spares manufacturer - I anticipate that they will have no problem in securing AAR contracts with the DoD and possibly with other NATO countries as well.
Another company, Omega Air Refueling Services Tanker, has performed a similar role for the USN, RAF, RAAF and RCAF since 2001 so the business model is proven with:
- 5,000 missions performed.
- 180 Million pounds of fuel transferred to 49,000 receiver aircraft.
- 99% mission completion rate.
Omega only has 2 x old Boeing 707 and one x DC-10 aircraft - so a much lesser capability than $TMPS will have with 3 x Tristars AAR tankers formerly operated by the Royal Air Force.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega_Aerial_Re...g_Services
http://www.omegaairrefueling.com/
Ex-Royal Air Force Tristar Tanker / Transport Aircraft.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_TriStar_(RAF)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_TriSta...w2_arp.jpg
http://www.aeroresource.co.uk/operational-rep...ousel-5163
The US military uses 2 types of air-to-air refuelling (AAR) equipment:
The USAF uses the "flying boom" system [tanker prods a receptacle on the aircraft being refuelled] on ageing KC-135 and KC-10 aircraft - the planned replacement KC-46 aircraft is currently delayed for a variety of reasons.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_KC-135_Stratotanker
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Dougl...0_Extender
Prior to the KC-46, the USAF was due to get the KC-45 - based on the Airbus A330 MRTT - similar to the Voyager aircraft now used by the Royal Air Force for AAR. Although the KC-45 won the original DoD competition 10 years ago, orders were cancelled due to an appeal by Boeing and "vested interest" in Washington. So the competition was re--run with changed parameters that favored Boeing. 10 years on, the Boeing built KC-46 is still not in service with the USAF.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EADS/Northrop_Grumman_KC-45
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_KC-46_Pegasus
The USN and USMC use the "probe and drogue" system [receiving aircraft prods a drogue basket on the end of a refuelling hose trailed by the tanker]. The USN no longer has a dedicated fast tanker since the KA-6D was retired as a cost cutting measure some years ago.
Operationally, the USN uses F/A-18 fighters with an underwing refuelling pod as tankers but their capacity is limited and it wasteful of the fatigue life of an ageing asset.
The USMC uses "slow" turboprop powered KC-130 tanker aircraft. If necessary, USAF flying boom tankers can have an adaptor fitted to do AAR with "probe and drogue" receivers.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/common...ueling.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_KC-130
The Royal Air Force uses the "probe & drogue" method of AAR. Over the last several years, it has been recapitalizing its' tanker fleet with a Private Finance Initiative that utilizes the state-of-the-art Voyager aircraft. This has allowed retirement of the disparate small fleets of ex-civil airliners previously used - the VC10 and the Tristar (some of which have been bought by $TMPS).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_TriSta...t2008.jpeg
There are plenty of instances when military AAR tanker capability is required but the tanker crew do not have to be military - for instance:
- Routine AAR requalification sorties for fast-jet aircrew.
- Trials [as recently done by another contractor with the X-47].
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega_Aerial_Re...Ranges.jpg
- Cross-Atlantic or Pacific deployments in friendly airspace - the Tristar can also carry a mix of passengers and cargo pallets. This would be an option for some of the smaller NATO air forces that attend exercises like RED FLAG in the USA.
- Delivery flights of military aircraft manufactured in the USA to overseas customers.
Accordingly, once $TMPS gets its' acquired ex-RAF tankers in the USA and certified - they are using 3 of the 6 aircraft as a spares source and the company is also an authorized spares manufacturer - I anticipate that they will have no problem in securing AAR contracts with the DoD and possibly with other NATO countries as well.
Another company, Omega Air Refueling Services Tanker, has performed a similar role for the USN, RAF, RAAF and RCAF since 2001 so the business model is proven with:
- 5,000 missions performed.
- 180 Million pounds of fuel transferred to 49,000 receiver aircraft.
- 99% mission completion rate.
Omega only has 2 x old Boeing 707 and one x DC-10 aircraft - so a much lesser capability than $TMPS will have with 3 x Tristars AAR tankers formerly operated by the Royal Air Force.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega_Aerial_Re...g_Services
http://www.omegaairrefueling.com/
Ex-Royal Air Force Tristar Tanker / Transport Aircraft.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_TriStar_(RAF)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_TriSta...w2_arp.jpg
http://www.aeroresource.co.uk/operational-rep...ousel-5163
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A very apposite motto for those who trade successfully in the OTC market..
All posts are my opinion - trade at your own risk.