135-481: The Airbus A310 MRTT Multi-Role Tanker Transport is a military air-to-air refuelling , or in-flight refuelling tanker transport aircraft, capable of operating multi-role missions. The A310 MRTT tanker aircraft is a subsequent development from the earlier Airbus A310 MRT Multi-Role Transport , which was a military transport aircraft for passengers, cargo, and medical evacuation. The A310 MRT and A310 MRTT are both specialist military conversions of existing airframes of
270-399: A V-tail configuration, are used to move the boom by creating aerodynamic forces. They are actuated hydraulically and controlled by the boom operator using a control stick. The boom operator also telescopes the boom to make the connection with the receiver's receptacle. To complete an aerial refueling, the tanker and receiver aircraft rendezvous, flying in formation. The receiver moves to
405-514: A carrier air wing ) to extend the range of its strike aircraft. In other cases, using the buddy store method allows a carrier -based aircraft to take-off with a heavier than usual load less fuel than might be necessary for its tasking. The aircraft would then topped-up with fuel from an HDU-equipped "buddy" tanker, a method previously used by the Royal Navy in operating its Supermarine Scimitar , de Havilland Sea Vixen , and Blackburn Buccaneers ; in
540-441: A 1,000 nautical miles (1,900 kilometres; 1,200 miles) mission. All fuel to receiver aircraft is supplied directly from the centre tank, if necessary, drawing fuel from conventional fuel tanks; this is controlled automatically by the fuel management system together with the centre of gravity computer, to ensure correct fuel feed to the engines , and maintaining the correct centre of gravity in flight. The dual hose and drogue system
675-452: A Hose Drum Unit (HDU). When not in use, the hose/drogue is reeled completely into the HDU. The receiver has a probe , which is a rigid, protruding or pivoted retractable arm placed on the aircraft's nose or fuselage to make the connection. Most modern versions of the probe are usually designed to be retractable, and are retracted when not in use, particularly on high-speed aircraft. At the end of
810-582: A Return-To-Launch-Site abort capability if necessary. At its most efficient altitude and speed, the Blackbird was capable of flying for many hours without refueling. The SR-71 used a special fuel, JP-7 , with a very high flash point to withstand the extreme skin temperatures generated during Mach 3+ cruise flight. While JP-7 could be used by other aircraft, its burn characteristics posed problems in certain situations (such as high-altitude, emergency engine starts) that made it less than optimal for aircraft other than
945-661: A body created in 2013 by the merger of the Air Force Office ( Luftwaffenamt ), German Air Staff ( Führungsstab der Luftwaffe ), and Air Force Forces Command ( Luftwaffenführungskommando ). Similar to the Air Staff of the United States Air Force , the German Air Force Command is a force-providing command, not an operational command. The Air Force Command is tasked with ensuring the combat readiness of
1080-528: A boom system followed quickly in the autumn of 1948. The first use of aerial refueling in combat took place during the Korean War, involving F-84 fighter-bombers flying missions from Japanese airfields, due to Chinese-North Korean forces overrunning many of the bases for jet aircraft in South Korea, refueling from converted B-29s using the drogue-and-probe in-flight refueling system with the probe located in one of
1215-563: A feat made possible by four aerial refuelings from four pairs of KB-29M tankers of the 43d ARS. Before the mission, crews of the 43rd had experienced only a single operational air refueling contact. The flight started and ended at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas with the refuelings accomplished over the Azores , Saudi Arabia , the Pacific Ocean near Guam , and between Hawaii and
1350-403: A flexible hose that trails from the tanker aircraft. The drogue (or para-drogue ), sometimes called a basket , is a fitting resembling a shuttlecock , attached at its narrow end (like the "cork" nose of a shuttlecock) with a valve to a flexible hose. The drogue stabilizes the hose in flight and provides a funnel to aid insertion of the receiver aircraft probe into the hose. The hose connects to
1485-448: A flying boom refuelling system such as that used by the United States Air Force (USAF). They are now able to offer air tankers from the A310 with air-to-air refuelling pods to the larger A330 MRTT equipped with refuelling booms. When installed, the flying boom system can deliver fuel to receiver aircraft at a rate of 1,200 US gallons (4,500 litres ; 1,000 imperial gallons ) per minute, and
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#17328450682801620-404: A four-aircraft strike package. USAF KC-135 and French Air Force KC-135FR refueling-boom equipped tankers can be field-converted to a probe-and-drogue system using a special adapter unit. In this configuration, the tanker retains its articulated boom, but has a hose/drogue at the end of it instead of the usual nozzle. The tanker boom operator holds the boom still while the receiver aircraft flies
1755-489: A hose-and-drogue system, dubbed UPAZ, and thus later Russian aircraft may be equipped with probe and drogue. The Chinese PLAF has a fleet of Xian H-6 bombers modified for aerial refueling, and plans to add Russian Ilyushin Il-78 aerial refueling tankers. Tankers can be equipped with multipoint hose-and-drogue systems, allowing them to refuel two (or more) aircraft simultaneously, reducing time spent refueling by as much as 75% for
1890-416: A much smaller position-keeping tolerance, staying properly connected to a KC-135 adapter unit is considerably more difficult than staying in a traditional hose/drogue configuration. When fueling is complete, the receiver carefully backs off until the probe refueling valve disconnects from the valve in the basket. Off center disengagements, like engagements, can cause the drogue to "prang" the probe and/or strike
2025-444: A new jet endurance record. FRL still exists as part of Cobham plc . Modern specialized tanker aircraft have equipment specially designed for the task of offloading fuel to the receiver aircraft, based on drogue and probe, even at the higher speeds modern jet aircraft typically need to remain airborne. In January 1948, General Carl Spaatz, then the first Chief of Staff of the new United States Air Force , made aerial refueling
2160-484: A pioneer of long-distance aviation. During the 1920s, he made long-distance flights to places as far afield as Africa and Australia and he began experimenting with the possibilities of in-flight refueling to extend the range of flight. Cobham was one of the founding directors of Airspeed Limited , an aircraft manufacturing company that went on to produce a specially-adapted Airspeed Courier that Cobham used for his early experiments with in-flight refueling. This craft
2295-407: A position behind the tanker, within safe limits of travel for the boom, aided by director lights or directions radioed by the boom operator. Once in position, the operator extends the boom to make contact with the receiver aircraft. Once in contact, fuel is pumped through the boom into the receiver aircraft. While in contact, the receiver pilot must continue to fly within the "air refueling envelope",
2430-637: A presence at three civil airports. In 2012, the German Air Force had an authorized strength of 28,475 active airmen and 4,914 reservists. After World War II , German aviation was severely curtailed, and military aviation was completely forbidden after the Allied Control Commission disbanded the Nazi-era Luftwaffe in August 1946. This changed in 1955 when West Germany joined NATO , as
2565-575: A significant proportion of Germany's military aircraft was reported to be unserviceable. It was reported that around half of the Eurofighters and Tornados were not currently airworthy and that the aging C-160 fleet remained in limited service while awaiting the introduction of the Airbus A400M , the first of which was delivered in December 2014. Ursula von der Leyen admitted that, due to the poor state of
2700-584: A similar dropped line from the receiver, allowing the refueling to commence. In 1935, Cobham sold off the airline Cobham Air Routes Ltd to Olley Air Service and turned to the development of inflight refueling, founding the company Flight Refuelling Ltd . Atcherly's system was bought up by Cobham's company, and with some refinement and continuous improvement through the late '30s, it became the first practical refueling system. Sir Alan Cobham 's grappled-line looped-hose air-to-air refueling system borrowed from techniques patented by David Nicolson and John Lord, and
2835-479: A similar fuel capacity to the KC-135R . Because of the larger passenger cabin, it is much more flexible, offering good capacity for cargo, troop transport , VIP transport , or other uses; and lacking only the capacity to land on rough strips to qualify as a strategic transport. Airbus hopes to sell it to some of the countries that need to replace the aging Boeing 707s they use as tankers. The first operational use with
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#17328450682802970-417: A single mission, without landing to install an adapter. Other tankers are equipped with hose-and-drogue attachments that do not interfere with the operation of the centerline boom: many KC-135s are equipped with dual under-wing attachments known as Multi-point Refueling System (MPRSs), while some KC-10s and A330 MRTTs have similar under-wing refueling pods (referred to as Wing Air Refueling Pods or WARPs on
3105-506: A small number of FRL looped-hose units and fitted a number of B-29s as tankers to refuel specially equipped B-29s and later B-50s. The USAF made only one major change in the system used by the RAF. The USAF version had auto-coupling of the refueling nozzle, where the leader line with the refueling hose is pulled to the receiver aircraft and a refueling receptacle on the belly of the aircraft, allowing high-altitude air-to-air refueling and doing away with
3240-558: A squadron of Javelin air defense aircraft was refueled in stages from the UK to India and back (exercise "Shiksha"). After the retirement of the Valiant in 1965, the Handley Page Victor took over the UK refueling role and had three hoses (HDUs). These were a fuselage-mounted HDU and a refueling pod on each wing. The center hose could refuel any probe-equipped aircraft, the wing pods could refuel
3375-593: A top priority of the service. In March 1948, the USAF purchased two sets of FRL's looped-hose in-flight refueling equipment, which had been in practical use with British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) since 1946, and manufacturing rights to the system. FRL also provided a year of technical assistance. The sets were immediately installed in two Boeing B-29 Superfortresses , with plans to equip 80 B-29s. Flight testing began in May 1948 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio , and
3510-405: A total of 143 Eurofighter Typhoon . A fighter-bomber wing fielding Panavia Tornado IDS planes remains in service at Büchel Air Base . The Reconnaissance Wing 51 will remain in service at Schleswig Air Base and add one drone squadron to its Panavia Tornado ECR squadron. The Kommando Luftwaffe has two main elements subordinate to it: Individual Air Force units are either part of
3645-752: A troop transport role, the A310 MRTT can accommodate up to 214 seats . And for a mixed-use combined troop transport and cargo, it can carry 54 troops and 12 pallets. The A310 MRTT contains four separate cargo systems within the fuselage , including the main deck cargo compartment, which is loaded and unloaded via the vertically opening main deck cargo door, located on the front left ( port ) side. This means that main deck cargo can be loaded by overhead crane, in addition to conventional cargo loading platforms. Below deck are three more cargo compartments, and can accommodate container and palletised loads up to 96 inches (2,400 millimetres) in height. When used in
3780-468: Is not compatible with flying boom equipment, creating a problem for military planners where mixed forces are involved. Incompatibility can also complicate the procurement of new systems. The Royal Canadian Air Force currently wish to purchase the F-35A , which can only refuel via the flying boom, but only possess probe-and-drogue refuelers . The potential cost of converting F-35As to probe-and-drogue refueling (as
3915-447: Is relatively light (typically soft canvas webbing) and subject to aerodynamic forces, it can be pushed around by the bow wave of approaching aircraft, exacerbating engagement even in smooth air. After initial contact, the hose and drogue is pushed forward by the receiver a certain distance (typically, a few feet), and the hose is reeled slowly back onto its drum in the HDU. This opens the tanker's main refueling valve allowing fuel to flow to
4050-440: Is supplied by two hose drum units (HDU) centrally mounted side by side in the rear fuselage. The A310 MRTT is 30% smaller by MTOW than the newer A330 MRTT. Since the production of A310 airframes was discontinued in 2007, the air-to-air refuelling conversion can only be made on existing refurbished airliners, or as an upgrade to A310 MRTs already used by air forces (the option taken by Germany and Canada). As an air tanker, it has
4185-618: Is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker ) to another (the receiver) while both aircraft are in flight. The two main refueling systems are probe-and-drogue , which is simpler to adapt to existing aircraft and the flying boom , which offers faster fuel transfer, but requires a dedicated boom operator station. The procedure allows the receiving aircraft to remain airborne longer, extending its range or loiter time. A series of air refuelings can give range limited only by crew fatigue /physical needs and engineering factors such as engine oil consumption. Because
Airbus A310 MRTT - Misplaced Pages Continue
4320-475: Is used on US Navy & Marine Corps F-35Bs and F-35Cs ) added to the early-2010s political controversy which surrounded F-35 procurement within the RCAF. These concerns can be addressed by drogue adapters (see section "Boom drogue adapter units" above) that allow drogue aircraft to refuel from boom-equipped aircraft, and by refuelers that are equipped with both drogue and boom units and can thus refuel both types in
4455-709: The Bundeswehr 's equipment, Germany was no longer able to fulfill its NATO commitments. The German Air Force was one of the founding members of the European Air Transport Command headquartered in Eindhoven - The Netherlands and most of the Transport & Tanker assets have been transferred under EATC management. The replacement of four Airbus A310 MRTT by the Airbus A330 MRTT was approved in 2018 by joining
4590-724: The Luftwaffe Air Base in Mazar-i-Sharif. Also, Luftwaffe C-160 Transall have flown transport plane missions in and around Afghanistan. Since the 1970s, the West German (and, post-reunification, German) Luftwaffe (as well as many other European air forces) has actively pursued the construction of European internationally made warplanes , such as the Panavia Tornado and the Eurofighter Typhoon introduced into
4725-990: The Luftwaffe arrived at the Nörvenich Air Base in January 1956. In the same year, the Luftwaffe was given with its first aircraft, the US-made Republic F-84 Thunderstreak . At first, the Luftwaffe was divided into two operational commands, one in Northern Germany, aligned with the British-led Second Allied Tactical Air Force , and the other in Southern Germany, aligned with the American-led Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force . In 1957,
4860-575: The Luftwaffe in 2006. On 13 January 2004, the Minister of Defence , Peter Struck , announced major changes in the future of the German armed forces . A major part of this announcement was a plan to cut the number of fighter planes from 426 in early 2004, to 265 by 2015. Assuming that the plans to order 180 Typhoons is carried out in full, and all of the F-4 Phantoms are removed from service, this would cut
4995-596: The Luftwaffe took command of the Army Air Defence Troops located in Rendsburg and began the expansion of its own air defense missile capabilities. The first squadron to be declared operational was the Air Transport Wing 61 at Erding Air Base , followed by the 31st Fighter-Bomber Squadron at Büchel Air Base . In 1958, the Luftwaffe received its first conscripts. In 1959, the Luftwaffe declared
5130-625: The Luftwaffe trained its missile and air defense troops, and pilots received their basic training. At the same time, the Luftwaffe opened a Tactical Training Command in Beja , Portugal , where pilots were trained in Close Air Support missions. Between 1967 and 1970, the Luftwaffe undertook a major reorganization of its forces. The two operational commands were disbanded and the four mixed Air Force divisions were divided into two flying divisions and two air defense divisions. The remainder of
5265-689: The Aéro-Club de France and the 34th Aviation Regiment of the French Air Force were able to demonstrate passing fuel between machines at the annual aviation fete at Vincennes in 1928. The UK's Royal Aircraft Establishment was also running mid-air refueling trials, with the aim to use this technique to extend the range of the long-distance flying boats that serviced the British Empire . By 1931 they had demonstrated refueling between two Vickers Virginias , with fuel flow controlled by an automatic valve on
5400-699: The Baltic Air Policing operation (of NATO), and these fighters were supplemented in 2009 by units flying the Typhoon . In 2006, to support military operations in Afghanistan , the Luftwaffe sent over several Panavia Tornado reconnaissance planes from the 51st Reconnaissance Wing "Immelmann" ( Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 "Immelmann" ), stationed in Mazar-i-Sharif , Northern Afghanistan. There have also been assorted German Army helicopters flying from
5535-1233: The Bosnian Serbs around Sarajevo , Bosnia & Herzegovina . In March 1999, the Luftwaffe became involved in a direct combat role as part of the Kosovo War along with the other NATO powers. This event was noted as significant in the British press with The Sun running the headline " Luftwaffe and the RAF into battle side by side". The Luftwaffe sent in Fighter Bomber Wing 32 , equipped with ECR Tornados, which flew missions to suppress enemy air defenses in and around Kosovo. These fighter-bombers were equipped with an electronic countermeasures pod, one AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile for self-defence, and an AGM-88 HARM air-to-ground missile (anti-radar). The bomber wing flew 2108 hours and 446 sorties, firing 236 HARM missiles at hostile targets. No manned Luftwaffe planes were lost in combat during this campaign. In 2005 and 2008, Luftwaffe F-4F Phantom II fighter planes took part in
Airbus A310 MRTT - Misplaced Pages Continue
5670-575: The CC-150 Polaris in Canadian service, the first also delivered October 2004. During June 2007, EADS delivered the first upgraded A310 MRTT with new mission avionics to the German Air Force. This new mission avionics suite facilitated the allocation of the upgraded A310 MRTT to NATO Reaction Forces . While the original and current A310 MRTTs rely on probe and drogue for air-to-air refuelling, EADS has invested $ 90m in research and development of
5805-620: The Israeli Air Force exercise "Blue Flag", the country's largest international air combat exercise, designed to simulate extreme combat scenarios. The German Air Force's six Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets were from Tactical Air Force Squadron 73 Steinhoff from Rostock. It is the first German participation in the Blue Flag exercise. In 2018, the Air Force issued a request for information from manufacturers about four potential aircraft to replace
5940-591: The Red October exercise to practise tactics against the aircraft they were most likely to meet in real combat. The MiG-29s of JG 73 were fully integrated into the Luftwaffe 's air defence structure and the first Soviet Bloc aircraft to be declared operational within NATO. With the introduction of the Eurofighter Typhoon imminent, the decision was taken to withdraw the MiG-29. All German MiG-29s, save one, were sold to Poland for
6075-603: The Short Empire flying boat Cambria from an Armstrong Whitworth AW.23 . Handley Page Harrows were used in the 1939 trials to perform aerial refueling of the Empire flying boats for regular transatlantic crossings. From 5 August to 1 October 1939, sixteen crossings of the Atlantic were made by Empire flying boats, with fifteen crossings using FRL's aerial refueling system. After the sixteen crossings further trials were suspended due to
6210-818: The Sukhoi Su-17 , MiG-21 , MiG-23 and MiG-29 fighters, most of the equipment was not compatible with the West German NATO equipment and therefore taken out of service and sold or given to new members of NATO in Eastern Europe, such as Poland and the Baltic states. An exception to this was the Fighter Wing 3 " Vladimir Komarov " ( Jagdfliegergeschwader 3 " Vladimir Komarov " ) in Preschen Air Base. The Fighter Wing 3 flew brand new MiG-29 fighters. On 1 June 1993,
6345-638: The Tactical Air Force Wing 33 . The American nuclear weapons formerly stored at Nörvenich Air Base , Ramstein Air Base , and Memmingen Air Base were all withdrawn from Germany during the mid-and-late-1990s. By international treaties between Germany and the "Big Four" powers in Europe (that formerly occupied Germany), East Germany was a nuclear-free zone. The Big Four powers are the United States, Russia,
6480-470: The West Coast . Cobham's company FRL soon realized that their looped-hose system left much to be desired and began work on an improved system that is now commonly called the probe-and-drogue air-to-air refueling system and today is one of the two systems chosen by air forces for air-to-air refueling, the other being the flying-boom system. In post-war trials the RAF used a modified Lancaster tanker employing
6615-670: The aero - medical MedEvac role, the A310 MRTT can accommodate up to six intensive care units , together with 56 conventional stretchers . Operated by a crew of three: two pilots and the air-to-air refuelling (AAR) operator, the pilots are able to directly operate all functions of in-flight refuelling, even if the AAR post is deactivated. Depending on mission, the A310 MRTT can deliver up to 33 tonnes (32 long tons ; 36 short tons ) of fuel to receiver aircraft on an operation of 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 kilometres ; 3,500 miles ), or up to 40 tonnes (39 long tons; 44 short tons) of fuel during
6750-433: The "receptacle" in the receiver aircraft during fuel transfer. A poppet valve in the end of the nozzle prevents fuel from exiting the tube until the nozzle properly mates with the receiver's refueling receptacle. Once properly mated, toggles in the receptacle engage the nozzle, holding it locked during fuel transfer. The "flying" boom is so named because flight control surfaces , small movable airfoils that are often in
6885-522: The 11th Missile Group in Kaufbeuren armed with MGM-1 Matador surface-to-surface tactical nuclear cruise missiles operational. The same year Fighter Wing 71 ( Jagdgeschwader 71 ) equipped with Canadair CL-13 fighters became operational at Ahlhorner Heide Air Base. All aircraft sported—and continue to sport—the Iron Cross on the fuselage, harking back to the pre-March 1918 days of World War I , while
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#17328450682807020-522: The A310 MRT involves: The design of the in-flight refuelling pod and wing reinforcements and systems was subcontracted to ITD SA, at that time part of the Industria de Turbo Propulsores (ITP) Group. When not used as an in-flight refueller, i.e., in an air cargo role, the A310 MRTT is capable of carrying a non-fuel payload of up to 37 tonnes (36 long tons ; 41 short tons ), or 81,600 lb. When used in
7155-535: The Air Force ( Inspekteur der Luftwaffe ). Despite the partial reliance of the new air force on airmen who had served in the Wehrmacht 's air arm, there was no organizational continuity between the old and the new Luftwaffe . This is in line with the policy of the Bundeswehr on the whole, which does not consider itself a successor of the Wehrmacht and does not follow the traditions of any other previous German military organization. The first volunteers of
7290-564: The Blackbird constantly leaked fuel before heating expanded the airframe enough to seal its fuel tanks. Following the supersonic dash the SR-71 would then rendezvous with a tanker to fill its now nearly empty tanks before proceeding on its mission. This was referred to as the LTTR (for "Launch To Tanker Rendezvous") profile. LTTR had the added advantage of providing an operational test of the Blackbird's refueling capability within minutes after takeoff, enabling
7425-565: The Boeing plant at Renton, Washington . Boeing went on to develop the world's first production aerial tanker, the KC-97 Stratofreighter , a piston-engined Boeing Stratocruiser (USAF designation C-97 Stratofreighter ) with a Boeing-developed flying boom and extra kerosene (jet fuel) tanks feeding the boom. The Stratocruiser airliner itself was developed from the B-29 bomber after World War II . In
7560-452: The Buccaneer's case using a bomb-bay-mounted tank and HDU. The tanker aircraft flies straight and level and extends the hose/drogue, which is allowed to trail out behind and below the tanker under normal aerodynamic forces. The pilot of the receiver aircraft extends the probe (if required) and uses normal flight controls to "fly" the refueling probe directly into the basket. This requires a closure rate of about two knots (walking speed) to push
7695-437: The Chief Inspector of the Air Force Generalleutnant Werner Panitzki , and transferred Colonel Erich Hartmann , commanding officer of the 71st Fighter Squadron, as both had publicly criticized the acquisition of the Starfighter as a "purely political decision". On 2 September 1966, Johannes Steinhoff , with Günther Rall as deputy, became the new Chief Inspector of the Air Force. Steinhoff and his deputy Günther Rall noted that
7830-775: The Eurofighter in a competition for Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), against competition from the Mikoyan MiG-35 , the Saab Gripen , the Lockheed Martin F-16 , the Boeing F-18E / F , and the Dassault Rafale . Pakistan has also ordered MRTT capability built on an A310, although the aircraft is no longer in production. Data from Airforce-Technology.com Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide 5th ed. General characteristics Performance Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Aerial refuelling Aerial refueling ( en-us ), or aerial refuelling ( en-gb ), also referred to as air refueling , in-flight refueling ( IFR ), air-to-air refueling ( AAR ), and tanking ,
7965-420: The F-104 never lived down its reputation as a "widow-maker", and was replaced by the Luftwaffe with the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II fighter and the Panavia Tornado fighter-bomber in many units much earlier than in other national air forces. On Steinhoff's initiative, the Luftwaffe opened the German Air Force Command USA/Canada ( Deutsches Luftwaffenkommando USA/Kanada ) in Fort Bliss , where
8100-401: The F-84's wing-tip fuel tanks. The flying boom is a rigid, telescoping tube with movable flight control surfaces that a boom operator on the tanker aircraft extends and inserts into a receptacle on the receiving aircraft. All boom-equipped tankers (e.g. KC-135 Stratotanker , KC-10 Extender , KC-46 Pegasus ) have a single boom and can refuel one aircraft at a time with this mechanism. In
8235-411: The French Air Force's two C-130J and two KC-130J Aircraft (delivery planned 2018–2019). In April 2020, the German government announced its intention to gain approval for the purchase of 30 Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, 15 EA-18G Growlers, and 55 Eurofighter Typhoons as replacements for the Tornado fleet. However, as of the same month such approval was unlikely to occur before 2022. The Super Hornet
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#17328450682808370-502: The German Air Force combat units, which during operations would either be commanded by a NATO command or the Joint Operations Command of the Bundeswehr . The Air Force command directly controls three higher commands. The creation of the Air Force Command was part of a reorganization of the Bundeswehr as a whole, announced by Thomas de Maizière in 2011, which also involved the Air Force shrinking to 23,000 soldiers and thus undergoing major restructuring at all levels. In addition to
8505-536: The German Luftwaffe took place on 4 February 2009 ; 15 years ago ( 2009-02-04 ) , when three German Eurofighter Typhoons of Jagdgeschwader 73 Steinhoff (30+23, 30+25, and 30+38), led by Colonel Andreas Schick, were refuelled en-route by an A310 MRTT tanker aircraft during their deployment from Laage Airbase ( German : Flughafen Rostock-Laage ), Rostock , Germany, to Yelahanka Air Force Station , near Bangalore , India. Despite not yet receiving final approval of in-flight refuelling operations by
8640-448: The German Navy's naval aviation and placed under command of Allied Forces Baltic Approaches . In 1960, the Luftwaffe received its first Lockheed F-104 Starfighter jets. The Starfighter remained in service for the entire duration of the Cold War, with the last being taken out of service in 1991. The Luftwaffe received 916 Starfighters, 292 of which crashed, resulting in the deaths of 116 pilots. The disastrous service record of
8775-409: The German authorities, this air-to-air refuelling mission was sanctioned as part of the A310 MRTTs 'operational testing phase' for in-flight refuelling, and consisted of a flight route of nearly 8,200 kilometres (4,400 nautical miles), including a stopover at the Al Dahfra airbase ( Arabic : قاعدة الظفرة الجوية ) in the United Arab Emirates . The objective of the deployment to India was to demonstrate
8910-405: The HDU. If the hose is pushed in too far or not far enough, a cutoff switch will inhibit fuel flow, which is typically accompanied by an amber light. Disengagement is commanded by the tanker pilot with a red light. The US Navy , Marine Corps , and some Army aircraft refuel using the "hose-and-drogue" system, as do most aircraft flown by western European militaries. The Soviet Union also used
9045-405: The KC-10). A small number of Soviet Tu-4s and Tu-16s (the tanker variant was Tu-16Z). used a wing-to-wing method. Similar to the probe-and-drogue method but more complicated, the tanker aircraft released a flexible hose from its wingtip. An aircraft flying alongside had to catch the hose with a special lock under its wingtip. After the hose was locked and the connection was established, the fuel
9180-400: The KC-97, the mixed gasoline/kerosene fuel system was clearly not desirable and it was obvious that a jet-powered tanker aircraft would be the next development, having a single type of fuel for both its own engines and for passing to receiver aircraft. The 230 mph (370 km/h) cruise speed of the slower, piston-engined KC-97 was also a serious issue, as using it as an aerial tanker forced
9315-440: The Pershing 1a missiles from its inventory in 1991, and the missiles were destroyed. At the end of the Cold War, more than 100,000 soldiers served in the Luftwaffe . The United States still lends nuclear weapons for hypothetical use by the Luftwaffe under the nuclear sharing agreement. In 2007, 22 B61 nuclear bombs were still kept in Germany, stored at the Büchel Air Base for use with Tornado IDS fighter-bombers of
9450-427: The SR-71. German Air Force The German Air Force ( German : Luftwaffe , lit. 'air weapon' or 'air arm', German pronunciation: [ˈlʊftvafə] ) is the aerial warfare branch of the Bundeswehr , the armed forces of Germany . The German Air Force (as part of the Bundeswehr ) was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War as the aerial warfare branch of
9585-429: The Starfighter led to the Starfighter crisis in 1966 as a reaction to 27 Starfighter crashes with 17 casualties in 1965 alone. The West German public referred to the Starfighter as the Witwenmacher (widow-maker), fliegender Sarg (flying coffin), Fallfighter (falling fighter) and Erdnagel ( tent peg , literally "ground nail"). On 25 August 1966, the German Defence Minister Kai-Uwe von Hassel relieved
9720-476: The US before returning to West Germany to upgrade on the latest U.S.-supplied hardware. These included Erich Hartmann , Gerhard Barkhorn , Günther Rall and Johannes Steinhoff . Steinhoff became commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe , with Rall as his immediate successor. Another pilot of World War II, Josef Kammhuber , also made a significant career in the post-war Luftwaffe , retiring in 1962 as Chief Inspector of
9855-547: The USAF to build jet tankers based on the Boeing 367-80 (Dash-80) airframe. The result was the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker , of which 732 were built. The flying boom is attached to the rear of the tanker aircraft. The attachment is gimballed , allowing the boom to move with the receiver aircraft. The boom contains a rigid pipe to transfer fuel. The fuel pipe ends in a nozzle with a flexible ball joint. The nozzle mates to
9990-512: The USSR first had it been ordered to do so. The bombers would fly orbits around their assigned positions from which they were to enter Soviet airspace if they received the order, and the tankers would refill the bombers' fuel tanks so that they could keep a force in the air 24 hours a day, and still have enough fuel to reach their targets in the Soviet Union. This also ensured that a first strike against
10125-733: The United Kingdom, and France, and the latter three have no nuclear weapons in Germany anymore. After German reunification in October 1990, the aircraft and personnel of the former GDR air force, the Luftstreitkräfte der NVA were taken. The remnants of the East German Air Force were placed under the newly formed 5th Air Force Division ( 5. Luftwaffendivision ) in Strausberg . In 1993,
10260-589: The Western Allies believed that Germany was needed to counter the increasing military threat posed by the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies. Therefore, on 9 January 1956, a new German Air Force called Luftwaffe was founded as a branch of the new Bundeswehr . Many well-known fighter pilots of the Wehrmacht ' s Luftwaffe joined the new post-war air force and underwent refresher training in
10395-545: The acquisition of four by the Royal Netherlands Air Force . Future plans are the replacement of the aging Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion , which was acquired in the 1970s, by Boeing CH-47 Chinook or Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion . A bid for a heavy transport helicopter program or STH ( Schwerer Transporthubschrauber ) was initiated in 2018. However, the award was suspended in 2020 due to the high price tag on both helicopters. The Luftwaffe participated in
10530-602: The aging Panavia Tornados - the Eurofighter Typhoon , F-15 Advanced Eagle , F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and F-35 Lightning . In January 2019, it was announced that the F-35 Lightning had been dropped from the shortlist, with the Eurofighter Typhoon and Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet under consideration. The German Air Force will acquire three C-130J Super Hercules Transport and three KC-130J Tanker Aircraft (delivery planned 2020–2021), which will be jointly operated with
10665-460: The air force's largest peacetime deployment. From June 12 to June 23, 2023, the German Air Force hosted Air Defender 23 , the largest exercise of NATO air forces since its creation with 25 nations and up to 10,000 troops participating. The current commander of the German Air Force is Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz. The Inspector of the Air Force ( Inspekteur der Luftwaffe ) is the commander of Air Force Command ( Kommando Luftwaffe ),
10800-488: The aircraft having to fly to a lower altitude to be depressurized so a crew member could manually do the coupling. This air-to-air refueling system was used by the B-50 Superfortress Lucky Lady II of the 43rd Bomb Wing to make its famous first non-stop around-the-world flight in 1949. From 26 February to 3 March 1949, Lucky Lady II flew non-stop around the world in 94 hours and 1 minute,
10935-483: The aircraft made its mission impossible without aerial refueling. Based at Beale AFB in central California , SR-71s had to be forward-deployed to Europe and Japan prior to flying actual reconnaissance missions. These trans-Pacific and trans-Atlantic flights during deployment were impossible without aerial refueling. The SR-71's designers traded takeoff performance for better high-speed, high-altitude performance, necessitating takeoff with less-than-full fuel tanks from even
11070-500: The aircraft that could cause accidents. Steinhoff and Rall, therefore, changed the training regimen for the F-104 pilots, and the accident rates fell to those comparable or better than other air forces. They also brought about the high level of training and professionalism seen today throughout the Luftwaffe , and the start of a strategic direction for Luftwaffe pilots to engage in tactical and combat training outside of Germany. However,
11205-408: The aircraft to be refueled (very close "line astern" formation flying) has resulted in the activity only being used in military operations ; there are no regular civilian in-flight refueling activities. Originally trialed shortly before World War II on a limited scale to extend the range of British civilian transatlantic flying boats , and then employed after World War II on a large scale to extend
11340-449: The aircraft's fuselage and causing damage. The other major difference with this system is that when contacted, the hose does not "retract" into an HDU. Instead, the hose bends depending on how far it is pushed toward the boom. If it is pushed too far, it can loop around the probe or nose of the aircraft, damage the windscreen, or cause contact with the rigid boom. If not pushed far enough, the probe will disengage, halting fueling. Because of
11475-409: The aircraft's fuselage. Some tankers have both a boom and one or more complete hose-and-drogue systems. The USAF KC-10 has both a flying boom and a separate hose-and-drogue system manufactured by Cobham . Both are on the aircraft centerline at the tail of the aircraft, so only one can be used at once. However, such a system allows all types of probe- and receptacle-equipped aircraft to be refueled in
11610-416: The area in which contact with the boom is safe. Moving outside of this envelope can damage the boom or lead to mid-air collision, for example the 1966 Palomares B-52 crash . If the receiving aircraft approaches the outer limits of the envelope, the boom operator will command the receiver pilot to correct their position and disconnect the boom if necessary. When the desired amount of fuel has been transferred,
11745-508: The armed forces of West Germany . After the reunification of West and East Germany in 1990, it integrated parts of the air force of the former German Democratic Republic , which itself had been founded in 1956 as part of the National People's Army . There is no organizational continuity between the current German Air Force and the former Luftwaffe of the Wehrmacht founded in 1935, which
11880-526: The bombers' airfields could not obliterate the US's ability to retaliate by bomber. In 1958, Valiant tankers in the UK were developed with one HDU mounted in the bomb-bay. Valiant tankers of 214 Squadron were used to demonstrate radius of action by refueling a Valiant bomber non-stop from UK to Singapore in 1960 and a Vulcan bomber to Australia in 1961. Other UK exercises involving refueling aircraft from Valiant tankers included Javelin and Lightning fighters, also Vulcan and Victor bombers. For instance, in 1962
12015-523: The brothers John, Kenneth, Albert, and Walter Hunter set a new record of 553 hours 40 minutes over Chicago using two Stinson SM-1 Detroiters as refueler and receiver. Aerial refueling remained a very dangerous process until 1935, when brothers Fred and Al Key demonstrated a spill-free refueling nozzle, designed by A. D. Hunter . They exceeded the Hunters' record by nearly 100 hours in a Curtiss Robin monoplane, staying aloft for more than 27 days. The US
12150-711: The civilian Airbus A310-300C wide-bodied passenger jet airliner . The Airbus A310 MRTT Multi-Role Tanker Transport is a military derivative of the Airbus A310-300C twin-jet wide-bodied jet airliner . The A310 MRTT was primarily designed for military use as a multi-role air-to-air refuelling tanker, cargo transport, passenger transport, and aeromedical evacuation (MedEvac) aircraft. The aircraft are designed , engineered , manufactured , and modified by Airbus Industrie and EADS subsidiary Airbus Military SAS , along with their subcontractors, which included Airbus Deutschland and Lufthansa Technik . The conversion from
12285-573: The development of Alexander P. de Seversky , between two planes occurred on 25 June 1923, between two Airco DH-4B biplanes of the United States Army Air Service . An endurance record was set by three DH-4Bs (a receiver and two tankers) on 27–28 August 1923, in which the receiver airplane remained aloft for more than 37 hours using nine mid-air refueling to transfer 687 US gallons (2,600 L) of aviation gasoline and 38 US gallons (140 L) of engine oil. The same crews demonstrated
12420-631: The division was renamed 3rd Air Force Division ( 3. Luftwaffendivision ), moved to Gatow in Berlin and in 1995 assigned to NATO. By 1990, the East German plane markings had been replaced by the Air Force Iron Cross, the first time Soviet-built aircraft had served in a NATO air force. However, as the Luftstreitkräfte der NVA were supplied exclusively with Eastern Bloc -produced aircraft, such as
12555-402: The drogue under the appropriate pressure (assuming the tanker crew has energized the pump). Tension on the hose is aerodynamically 'balanced' by a motor in the HDU so that as the receiver aircraft moves fore and aft, the hose retracts and extends, thus preventing bends in the hose that would cause undue side loads on the probe. Fuel flow is typically indicated by illumination of a green light near
12690-542: The event of their use. Soon after its founding, the German Air Force began to train with the US Seventeenth Air Force in handling, arming, and delivering nuclear weapons. At first, the F-104 Starfighter was intended to be used solely as a nuclear delivery platform, armed with nuclear air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, as well as nuclear bombs. The Tornado was the second air force plane fielded that
12825-544: The flying boom system, along with Australia (KC-30A), the Netherlands (KDC-10), Israel (modified Boeing 707), Japan (KC-767), Turkey (KC-135Rs), and Iran (Boeing 707 and 747). The system allows higher fuel flow rates (up to 1,000 US gallons (3,800 L) / 6,500 pounds (2,900 kg) per minute for the KC-135, but does require a boom operator, and can only refuel one aircraft at a time. The probe-and-drogue refueling method employs
12960-658: The higher command authorities, the three air divisions, the Air Force Training Command, and Air Force Weapon Systems Command were disbanded. The three surface-to-air missile units will merge into a single wing in Husum in Northern Germany. The wing fields 14 MIM-104 Patriot and 4 MANTIS systems. The three air transport wings will be merged into a single wing based at Wunstorf Air Base , which will field 40 A400M Atlas transport planes. The Luftwaffe will field three Multirole Eurofighter Wings, each with two squadrons for
13095-399: The hose several feet into the HDU and solidly couple the probe and drogue. Too little closure will cause an incomplete connection and no fuel flow (or occasionally leaking fuel). Too much closure is dangerous because it can trigger a strong transverse oscillation in the hose, severing the probe tip. The optimal approach is from behind and below (not level with) the drogue. Because the drogue
13230-458: The hose was connected, the tanker climbed sufficiently above the receiver aircraft to allow the fuel to flow under gravity. When Cobham was developing his system, he saw the need as purely for long-range transoceanic commercial aircraft flights, but modern aerial refueling is used exclusively by military aircraft. In 1934, Cobham had founded Flight Refuelling Ltd (FRL) and by 1938 had used its looped-hose system to refuel aircraft as large as
13365-454: The hose which would cut off if contact was lost. Royal Air Force officer Richard Atcherley had observed the dangerous aerial-refueling techniques in use at barnstorming events in the US and determined to create a workable system. While posted to the Middle East he developed and patented his 'crossover' system in 1934, in which the tanker trailed a large hooked line that would reel in
13500-825: The initial order. Germany intends to also order 15 Eurofighter Typhoon electronic warfare aircraft in place of Growlers . In April 2022, as a continuation of the STH program, Germany has chosen the CH-47F Chinook to replace its aging fleet of Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion . According to Reuters report, Germany will purchase 60 CH-47Fs with a contract worth around € 5 billion ( US$ 5.40 billion). In August 2022, Germany sent six Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, three Airbus A330 MRTT tankers and four Airbus A400M Atlas transports to take part in Exercise Pitch Black in Australia, in
13635-675: The last remaining German C-160 Transalls were disbanded, with the A400M and C-130J serving as the German tactical transport aircraft in the future. In March 2022, German Minister of Defence Christine Lambrecht announced that Germany intends to buy 35 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fighter jets instead of Super Hornets to replace the Tornado, the only aircraft Germany possess capable of carrying US nuclear weapons . Another ten may be added to
13770-469: The late 1940s, General Curtis LeMay , commander of the Strategic Air Command (SAC), asked Boeing to develop a refueling system that could transfer fuel at a higher rate than had been possible with earlier systems using flexible hoses, resulting in the flying boom system. The B-29 was the first to employ the boom, and between 1950 and 1951, 116 original B-29s, designated KB-29Ps, were converted at
13905-432: The longest runways. Once airborne, the Blackbird would accelerate to supersonic speed using afterburners to facilitate structural heating and expansion. The magnitude of temperature changes experienced by the SR-71, from parked to its maximum speed, resulted in significant expansion of its structural parts in cruise flight. To allow for the expansion, the Blackbird's parts had to fit loosely when cold, so loosely, in fact, that
14040-469: The more maneuverable fighter/ground attack types. A byproduct of this development effort and the building of large numbers of tankers was that these tankers were also available to refuel cargo aircraft , fighter aircraft , and ground attack aircraft , in addition to bombers, for ferrying to distant theaters of operations. This was much used during the Vietnam War , when many aircraft could not have covered
14175-523: The much improved probe-and-drogue system, with a modified Gloster Meteor F.3 jet fighter, serial EE397 , fitted with a nose-mounted probe. On 7 August 1949, the Meteor flown by FRL test pilot Pat Hornidge took off from Tarrant Rushton and remained airborne for 12 hours and 3 minutes, receiving 2,352 imperial gallons (10,690 L) of fuel in ten refuelings from a Lancaster tanker. Hornidge flew an overall distance of 3,600 mi (5,800 km), achieving
14310-516: The national flag of West Germany is displayed on the tail . In 1963, the Luftwaffe saw its first major reorganization. The two operational Air Force Group Commands – Command North and Command South were both split into two mixed Air Force divisions containing flying and air defense units and one Support division. Additionally, a 7th Air Force division was raised in Schleswig-Holstein containing flying units, missile units, support units, and
14445-452: The newer jet-powered military aircraft to slow down to mate with the tanker's boom, a highly serious issue with the newer supersonic aircraft coming into service at that time, which could force such receiving aircraft in some situations to slow down enough to approach their stall speed during the approach to the tanker. It was no surprise that, after the KC-97, Boeing began receiving contracts from
14580-583: The non-German F-104s proved much safer. The Americans blamed the high loss rate of the Luftwaffe F-104s on the extremely low-level and aggressive flying of German pilots rather than any faults in the aircraft. Steinhoff and Rall went to America to learn to fly the Starfighter under Lockheed instruction and noted some specifics in the training (a lack of mountain and foggy-weather training), combined with handling capabilities (rapidly initiated, high G turns) of
14715-489: The number of Tornado fighter-bombers down to just 85. In the past, the Bundesmarine 's naval air wing ( Marineflieger ) received 112 Tornado IDS planes. However, in late 2004, the last unit of Bundesmarine Tornados was disbanded. The entire maritime combat role was assigned to the Luftwaffe , one unit of which has had its Tornado fighters equipped to carry Kormoran II missiles and American HARM missiles. As of 2014,
14850-498: The outbreak of World War II. During the closing months of World War II, it had been intended that Tiger Force 's Lancaster and Lincoln bombers would be in-flight refueled by converted Halifax tanker aircraft, fitted with the FRL's looped-hose units, in operations against the Japanese homelands , but the war ended before the aircraft could be deployed. After the war ended, the USAF bought
14985-445: The probe into the basket. Unlike the soft canvas basket used in most drogue systems, the adapter units use a steel basket, grimly known as the "iron maiden" by naval aviators because of its unforgiving nature. Soft drogues can be contacted slightly off center, wherein the probe is guided into the hose receptacle by the canvas drogue. The metal drogue, when contacted even slightly off center, will pivot out of place, potentially "slapping"
15120-585: The probe is a valve that is closed until it mates with the drogue's forward internal receptacle, after which it opens and allows fuel to pass from tanker to receiver. The valves in the probe and drogue that are most commonly used are to a NATO standard and were originally developed by the company Flight Refuelling Limited in the UK and deployed in the late 1940s and 1950s. This standardization enables drogue-equipped tanker aircraft from many nations to refuel probe-equipped aircraft from other nations. The NATO-standard probe system incorporates shear rivets that attach
15255-414: The range of strategic bombers , aerial refueling since the Vietnam War has been extensively used in large-scale military operations. Some of the earliest experiments in aerial refueling took place in the 1920s; two slow-flying aircraft flew in formation, with a hose run down from a hand-held fuel tank on one aircraft and placed into the usual fuel filler of the other. The first mid-air refueling, based on
15390-420: The range of 35–40% have been estimated for long-haul flights (including the fuel used during the tanker missions). Usually, the aircraft providing the fuel is specially designed for the task, although refueling pods may be fitted to existing aircraft designs in the case of "probe-and-drogue" systems. The cost of the refueling equipment on both tanker and receiver aircraft and the specialized aircraft handling of
15525-462: The receiver aircraft is topped-off with extra fuel in the air, air refueling can allow a takeoff with a greater payload which could be weapons, cargo, or personnel: the maximum takeoff weight is maintained by carrying less fuel and topping up once airborne. Aerial refueling has also been considered as a means to reduce fuel consumption on long-distance flights greater than 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi). Potential fuel savings in
15660-430: The refueling valve to the end of the probe. This is so that if a large side or vertical load develops while in contact with the drogue, the rivets shear and the fuel valve breaks off, rather than the probe or receiver aircraft suffering structural damage. A so-called "broken probe" (actually a broken fuel valve, as described above) may happen if poor flying technique is used by the receiver pilot, or in turbulence. Sometimes
15795-579: The same flight, such as the KC-10, MPRS KC-135, or Airbus A330 MRTT. The development of the KC-97 and Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers was pushed by the Cold War requirement of the United States to be able to keep fleets of nuclear -armed B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers airborne around-the-clock either to threaten retaliation against a Soviet strike for mutual assured destruction , or to bomb
15930-528: The same year, but these early experiments were not yet regarded as a practical proposition, and were generally dismissed as stunts. As the 1920s progressed, greater numbers of aviation enthusiasts vied to set new aerial long-distance records, using inflight air refueling. One such enthusiast, who would revolutionize aerial refueling was Sir Alan Cobham , member of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I , and
16065-616: The symbolic price of €1 apiece. On 9 August 2004, the last MiG-29s landed in Poland where they continue to serve in the 41st Tactical Squadron of the Polish Air Force . The Luftwaffe experienced combat action for the first time since World War II during September 1995 in the course of Operation Deliberate Force , when six IDS Tornado fighter-bombers , equipped with forward looking infrared devices, and escorted by eight ECR Tornados, supported NATO's artillery missions on positions of
16200-619: The transoceanic distances without aerial refueling, even with intermediate bases such as Hickam Air Force Base , Hawaii and Kadena Air Base , Okinawa. In addition to allowing the transport of the aircraft themselves, the cargo aircraft could also carry matériel , supplies, and personnel to Vietnam without landing to refuel. KC-135s were also frequently used for refueling of air combat missions from air bases in Thailand. The USAF SR-71 Blackbird strategic reconnaissance aircraft made frequent use of air-to-air refueling. Indeed, design considerations of
16335-518: The two aircraft disconnect and the receiver aircraft departs the formation. When not in use, the boom is stored flush with the bottom of the tanker's fuselage to minimize drag. In the KC-97 and KC-135 the boom operator lies prone, while the operator is seated in the KC-10 , all viewing operations through a window at the tail. The KC-46 seats two operators at the front of the aircraft viewing camera video on 3D screens. The US Air Force fixed-wing aircraft use
16470-571: The units were divided into functional commands: Over the next decade, the Luftwaffe received large amounts of new equipment, including in 1968 the first C-160 Transall transport planes, in 1974 the F-4 Phantom II fighter-bombers, in 1978 the first Alpha Jet Version A light attack jets and in 1979 the first of 212 Panavia Tornado fighters. In 1986, the air defense forces began to replace their Nike Hercules missile systems with state-of-the-art surface-to-air missile systems: first to arrive
16605-745: The utility of the technique on 25 October 1923, when a DH-4 flew from Sumas, Washington , on the Canada–United States border , to Tijuana, Mexico , landing in San Diego , using mid-air refuelings at Eugene, Oregon , and Sacramento, California . Similar trial demonstrations of mid-air refueling technique took place at the Royal Aircraft Establishment in England and by the Armée de l'Air in France in
16740-465: The valve is retained in the tanker drogue and prevents further refueling from that drogue until removed during ground maintenance. A "buddy store" or "buddy pod" is an external pod loaded on an aircraft hardpoint that contains a hose and drogue system (HDU). Buddy stores allow fighter / bomber aircraft to be reconfigured for "buddy tanking" other aircraft. This allows an air combat force without dedicated/specialized tanker support (for instance,
16875-408: The wing was renamed Fighter Wing 73 ( Jagdgeschwader 73 ) and on 1 October 1994 completed its move to its new home at Laage Air Base . The pilots of JG 73 were some of the most experienced MiG-29 pilots in the world. One of their primary duties was to serve as aggressor pilots, training other pilots in dissimilar combat tactics . The United States sent a group of fighter pilots to Germany during
17010-438: Was capable of delivering nuclear ammunition, although it was limited to delivering B61 nuclear bombs . From 1965 through 1970, Missile Wings 1 and 2 fielded 16 Pershing 1 missile systems with nuclear warheads under U.S. Army custody. In 1970, the system was upgraded to Pershing 1a with 72 missiles. Although not directly affected by the 1988 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty , the Luftwaffe unilaterally removed
17145-471: Was completely disbanded in 1945/46 after World War II . The term Luftwaffe that is used for both the historic and the current German air force is the German-language generic designation of any air force. The commander of the German Air Force is Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz . As of 2015, the German Air Force uses eleven air bases, two of which host no flying units. Furthermore, the Air Force has
17280-463: Was eventually modified by Airspeed to Cobham's specification, for a non-stop flight from London to India , using in-flight refueling to extend the plane's flight duration. Meanwhile, in 1929, a group of US Army Air Corps fliers, led by then Major Carl Spaatz , set an endurance record of over 150 hours with a Fokker C-2A named the Question Mark over Los Angeles. Between 11 June and 4 July 1930,
17415-417: Was mainly concerned about transatlantic flights for faster postal service between Europe and America. In 1931 W. Irving Glover, the second assistant postmaster, wrote an extensive article for Popular Mechanics concerning the challenges and the need for such a regular service. In his article he even mentioned the use of aerial refueling after takeoff as a possible solution. At Le Bourget Airport near Paris,
17550-416: Was publicly demonstrated for the first time in 1935. In the system the receiver aircraft, at one time an Airspeed Courier , trailed a steel cable which was then grappled by a line shot from the tanker, a Handley Page Type W10 . The line was then drawn back into the tanker where the receiver's cable was connected to the refueling hose. The receiver could then haul back in its cable bringing the hose to it. Once
17685-488: Was pumped. Some historic systems used for pioneering aerial refueling used the grappling method, where the tanker aircraft unreeled the fuel hose and the receiver aircraft would grapple the hose midair, reel it in and connect it so that fuel can be transferred either with the assistance of pumps or simply by gravity feed . This was the method used on the Question Mark endurance flight in 1929. The probe-and-drogue system
17820-649: Was selected due to its compatibility with nuclear weapons and availability of an electronic attack version. As of March 2022, the Super Hornet has not been certified for the B61 Mod 12 nuclear bombs , but Dan Gillian, head of Boeing's Super Hornet program, previously stated that "We certainly think that we, working with the U.S. government, can meet the German requirements there on the [German's] timeline." In December 2021, Air Transport Wing 63 in Hohn Air Base and with it,
17955-469: Was so successful that in June orders went out to equip all new B-50s and subsequent bombers with receiving equipment. Two dedicated air refueling units were formed on 30 June 1948: the 43d Air Refueling Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base , Arizona , and the 509th Air Refueling Squadron at Walker Air Force Base , New Mexico . The first ARS aircraft used FRL's looped-hose refueling system, but testing with
18090-680: Was supplied by Flight Refuelling Ltd (FRL) of England, and uses the Mk32B pods under each wing on pylons, close to the wingtips . Two receiver aircraft can be refuelled simultaneously, and is capable of delivering 15,000 litres (3,300 imperial gallons; 4,000 US gallons) per minute. The German Air Force (Luftwaffe) was the first customer for the MRTT, converting four of their seven existing A310 MRTs, with deliveries starting in October 2004. The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) converted two of their five existing A310 MRTs to MRTT configuration, which are known as
18225-535: Was the MIM-104 Patriot system, followed one year later by Roland short-range missile system. Germany is participating in NATO 's nuclear sharing concept. Nuclear sharing is a concept that involves member countries without nuclear weapons of their own in the planning for the use of nuclear weapons by NATO, and in particular, provides for the armed forces of these countries to be involved in delivering these weapons in
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