Aerial refueling continues to evolve. For decades, aerial refueling has extended mission range for the joint force fleet with extra fuel for fighters, bombers, cargo and reconnaissance aircraft to fly farther.
Multi-mission versatility and new technology integration enable next-generation tankers to do far more than refueling alone.
As new capabilities are fielded, an emerging team of systems approach to aerial refueling makes a variety of mission capability options possible for the warfighter and creates multiple challenges for adversaries.
Boeing’s KC-46A Pegasus and MQ-25TM StingrayTM already demonstrate the advanced capabilities that the world’s most advanced tankers bring to the fleet today and serve as operational pathfinders for a next-generation aerial refueling team of systems as the joint force pushes to stay ahead of near-peer threats.
The MQ-25 skins are an example of applying advanced manufacturing for operational and lifecycle benefits. The composite skins - produced by Aurora Flight Sciences in Mississippi - provide lightweight strengthening and anti-corrosive benefits that are crucial for the aircraft, which will be based on aircraft carriers in harsh ocean conditions. (Breaking Defense 09/11/23) What the future of aerial refueling looks like - Breaking Defense
No comments:
Post a Comment