Airforces - Typhoon school

88 // APRIL 2018 #361 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com

Column Commander’s Update Briefing

NEXT MONTH: Airlift

to maintain air patrols, by enabling
aircraft to fly for longer. These
missions become real force-
multipliers, as extending a patrol
over many hours cuts down
dramatically on the numbers of
aircraft required to meet a full
24-hour cycle – on average, eight-
hour missions are not uncommon
for fighter aircraft that might
otherwise manage little more than
one hour. Tanker orbits will be
placed as close to the tactical
operating area as possible to cut
down transit time for the receivers,
but this needs to be balanced
against either surface or airborne
threats to the more vulnerable
tankers. In relatively benign
environments, tactical formations
may even split up and send part of
the formation back to the tanker,
while keeping the remainder on
station – thus ensuring a constant
presence over the tactical
area for prolonged periods.

Tanker techniques
There are essentially two ways of
airborne refuelling an aircraft, and
the supporters of either method
swear by their preference. The
oldest and most traditional (early
air-to-air refuelling was conducted
by simply passing and catching
a hose between aircraft) is what’s
known as probe and drogue.
Here, a refuelling aircraft simply
deploys a long fuel hose with a
basket some distance behind the
aircraft, either from a wing pod or
a fuselage-mounted system. The
receiver aircraft then manoeuvres
until they ‘gently’ push their probe
into the basket, where a coupling
maintains contact as the fuel
begins to flow. Fuel flows relatively
quickly and an average fighter can
be filled in less than ten minutes.
The main advantage of this system
is that more than one aircraft can
be refuelled simultaneously. There
is also a little more freedom of

movement of the receiver aircraft,

which is comforting in turbulent

conditions. Probe and drogue is

the only method that can be used

between fighters (known as buddy-

buddy refuelling) as hose systems

can be small and pod-based so

they can be fitted to ‘wet’ pylons (ie

those that have fuel connections).

The other type is known as the

boom method. Here the receiver

merely manoeuvres to a set

position behind the boom, which

is then itself ‘flown’ by an operator

in the tanker to connect into a

receptacle in the fighter aircraft,

usually behind the cockpit. This

method requires the system to

be designed at the outset in both

tanker and receiver, whereas

drogue systems can be podded,

and these and refuelling probes

can be fixed on to an aircraft

temporarily. The single biggest

advantage of the boom system is

that it enables a significantly higher

fuel flow, and so speeds up the

tanking time of individual aircraft.

Curiously, the two systems

have developed in parallel due to

individual service preferences. The

USAF has long been a proponent

of the boom system, and its

aircraft are all equipped with this

setup. In contrast, the US Navy

and US Marine Corps, as well as

European air forces, have favoured

the probe and drogue system.

As air forces become owners of

mixed aircraft types or coalitions

have mixed types of receivers, so

tankers have increasingly been

equipped with both systems, and

the newest Airbus A330 Multi-

Role Tanker Transport (MRTT)

and Boeing KC-46 Pegasus can

deploy both systems. Meanwhile,

a limited number of USAF KC-135s

have been configured with the

Multipoint Refueling System or

MPRS, allowing them to refuel

two aircraft simultaneously from

pods mounted on the wingtips.

Whatever the method, air-to-air

refuelling will continue to be one

of the most vital enablers for air

power for many years to come.

And, as any combat pilot will tell

you, when fuel becomes critical

there is no more comforting a

sight than a tanker looming into

view, boom or hoses trailed.

Above: Probe-and-drogue is the refuelling method of choice for the US Navy

and Marine Corps. This F/A-18C from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115

was taking on fuel from a KC-130 during Integrated Training Exercise 1-18

over Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California,

last October. USMC/Staff Sgt Kowshon Ye Below: A boom operator assigned

to the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron refuels an F-16C over

Afghanistan earlier this year. The 340th EARS is responsible for delivering

two-thirds of all fuel to airborne receivers in the US Central Command’s area

of responsibility. ANG/Master Sgt Phil Speck

A pair of F/A-18Es from Strike Fighter Squadron 147 ‘Argonauts’ demonstrates buddy-buddy refuelling during a demonstration flown from the aircraft carrier

USS ‘Nimitz’ (CVN 68) in the Pacific last November. US Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Holly L Herline

AFM