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Wings over Wayne air show 2023, Seymore Johnson AFB, Goldsboro, NC
- Thread starter sksvlad
- Start date
sksvlad
Well-Known Member
I (not being in the military) learnt a couple of "new" facts, to me. One is the fact that Navy and USAF have 2 totally different air refueling systems so the tankers (refuelers) have 2 entirely different fuel transfer systems, one rigid beam for USAF and a flexible hose with a cone at the end for USN. I know for you guys it is elementary but for me...BIG news.
That Skyhawk has a bit of history. Vietnam Vet, RAN, RNZAF, Draken.
Yeh, the Navy used the probe and drogue system (note probe on the Skyhawk), like chasing a shuttlecock around the sky with a knitting needle. Air Force boom system they 'fly' the boom to the aircraft.
Yeh, the Navy used the probe and drogue system (note probe on the Skyhawk), like chasing a shuttlecock around the sky with a knitting needle. Air Force boom system they 'fly' the boom to the aircraft.
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Vlad,
As a munitions guy, tankers were never much interest to me. BUT, I know enough to say that "AF-boom, Navy-probe and drogue" is a little bit oversimplification. As an example, the KC-135s could be reconfigured to support Naval (including USMC) aircraft when necessary. Each wing with tankers assigned--I was assigned to two of those, 19th Bomb Wing and 43rd Bomb Wing--had several sets of the drogue equipment and about once a month we had to reconfigure a couple of the tankers to support some requirement. There was no Navy refueler with the fuel quantity transfer capability of the KC-135s, so the USAF was required to support certain long haul and multiple aircraft missions. Also, some of the USAF MC-130s had a refueling capability that ONLY involved the drogue system. These refuelers and the helicopters they supported (e.g. HH-53 "Jolly Greens") were only assigned to the Special Operations units, including Air Recovery/Rescue units, if I recall correctly.
As a munitions guy, tankers were never much interest to me. BUT, I know enough to say that "AF-boom, Navy-probe and drogue" is a little bit oversimplification. As an example, the KC-135s could be reconfigured to support Naval (including USMC) aircraft when necessary. Each wing with tankers assigned--I was assigned to two of those, 19th Bomb Wing and 43rd Bomb Wing--had several sets of the drogue equipment and about once a month we had to reconfigure a couple of the tankers to support some requirement. There was no Navy refueler with the fuel quantity transfer capability of the KC-135s, so the USAF was required to support certain long haul and multiple aircraft missions. Also, some of the USAF MC-130s had a refueling capability that ONLY involved the drogue system. These refuelers and the helicopters they supported (e.g. HH-53 "Jolly Greens") were only assigned to the Special Operations units, including Air Recovery/Rescue units, if I recall correctly.