Photo U.S. IndoPacific Command
The U.S. Air Force is changing the way it builds and maintains air operations readiness through commercial agreements. This change is not entirely new, as the Navy and Marine Corps have been using this capability for nearly 20 years. However, the Air Force (USAF) is now taking over the use of commercial tankers.
“Just last summer, a commercial refueling company, in coordination with Air Combat Command, was able to refuel an Air Force E3 and an RC135 during an exercise,” said Lt. Col. Curtis Holtman, operations manager for Pacific Air Forces Air Mobility. “We are expanding this approach in PACAF and have identified a concept application to refuel fighter aircraft during exercise Commando Sling 23.”
During this exercise, Omega Tanker used its KDC10 jet, an aerial refueling modified version of the Douglas DC10 airliner, to attack the USAF’s F16 Fighting Falcons from the south from Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea supply, to Singapore.
The commercial tanker’s capabilities were not limited to refueling Luftwaffe fighters. “The KDC10 was also loaded with more than 40 passengers participating in the exercise and four cargo pallet spaces to practice the aircraft’s dual airlift and refueling capabilities,” Holtman said.
The success of this concept is a critical achievement for the USAF as it demonstrates a key capability that the Air Force can continue to leverage to enable an increase in exercises while maintaining immediate operational readiness.
“If we can use commercial aerial refueling to cover movements from Point A to Point B for participation in exercises during unit readiness training, it will free up our own tanker fleet to respond to emerging emergency requirements,” Holtman said. “This is another mechanism we can use to increase the readiness of our fighter aircraft.”
According to Holtman, by the end of the exercise, commercial tankers will have provided airtoair refueling for three different aircraft models: F15C, F16 and F22.
From the US IndoPacific Command press office