List of tanker aircraft

This is a list of tanker aircraft used for aerial refueling of another craft while in flight.

Two fighter jets approach a refueling tanker, while four others wait their turn.

Refueling methods
Main article: Aerial refueling
Looped hose
The first commercial method employed a hose which was held slack in a trailing half-loop behind both aircraft. The receiving aircraft flew just below the tanker and deployed a steel line, which the tanker caught with its own grappling line and drew in. The tanker then connected the first steel line to the refueling hose and paid it out as the receiving aircraft reeled it back in.
Probe-and-drogue
The tanker trails a flexible hose with a stabilising drogue on the end and the receiving aircraft manoeuvers to insert a short probe into the receptacle in the drogue.
Flying boom
The tanker extends a hinged telescopic boom with aerodynamic control surfaces on its end. An operator "flies" it to match up with a receptacle on the receiving aircraft, which then moves forwards to make the connection.
Wing-to-wing
A hybrid method in which the tanker trails a flexible hose from a wing and the receiving aircraft catches it in a hooked receptacle under one of its own wings.
Buddy refueling
An aircraft type is fitted with both supply and receiving hardware, so that one aircraft can refuel another of the same type.

These images illustrate various aerial refueling methods.

  • First successful mid-air refueling in 1923.
  • Looped hose refueling during round-the-world flight.
  • Helicopter with refueling probe approaching the drogue trailed by a tanker.
  • Probe inserted in drogue for refueling.
  • Flying boom refueling.
  • Flying boom refueling at night.

List of aircraft
TypeBased onCountryClassMethodDateStatusNo.Notes
Airbus A310 MRTTA310France/GermanyJetProbe-and-drogue62 for Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), as CC-150T Polaris
Airbus A330 MRTTAirbus A330-200SpainJetProbe-and-drogueIn RAF service it is exclusively hose-and-drogue and is known as Voyager KC2 and KC3, with limitations such as; no self-refueling capability and only the KC3 model (five on order) is fitted with a fuselage mounted high capacity hose-and-drogue system. Australian, Emirati and Saudi operators have a refueling boom in addition to wing mounted hose-and-drogue.
Airbus A400MSpain/Germany/FranceTurbopropProbe-and-drogue2013
Airbus A330 MRTTAirbus A330-200Flying boomProduction

Versions operated by the Australian, Emirati and Saudi air forces are equipped with both a flying boom and hose-and-drogue refueling units.

Airco DH.4USPropellerGravity flow hose1923US Army Air Service Trials
Avro LancasterUKPropellerProbe-and-drogueOperational
Avro LincolnUKPropellerProbe-and-drogueOperational[1]
Avro Vulcan K.2VulcanUKJetProbe-and-drogueOperationalSaw action in the Falklands War
Blackburn BuccaneerUKJetProbe-and-drogueProductionBuddy refueling.
Boeing 707USJetProbe-and-drogueVariants: Colombian Air Force Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker with Multi-Point Refueling System PODS. 2 for RCAF as CC-137 Husky.
Boeing 767USJetProbe-and-drogueConversion by IAI. FAC, a 767-200ER fitted with two ARP3 refueling pods under the wings, and cargo door.
Boeing KB-29MB-29 SuperfortressUSPropellerProbe-and-drogueearlier versions used a "grappling hose" system; later models used a true probe-and-drogue.
Boeing KB-50B-50 SuperfortressUSPropellerProbe-and-droguean improved model of the B-29 Superfortress.
Boeing KB-29PB-29 SuperfortressFlying boom
Boeing KB-50B-50 SuperfortressFlying booma B-29 derivative
Boeing KC-97 StratofreighterC-97 StratofreighterFlying boomanother B-29 Superfortress descendant
Boeing KC-135 StratotankerBoeing 707Flying boomProductionBoom can be fitted preflight with a drogue adapter. AdlA KC-135 Stratotankers use the probe-and-drogue system. MPRS models will have two drogue hose reels (pods) at the wingtips.
Boeing 747747-100Flying boom4KC-33A a modified Boeing 747 which lost in the USAF bidding competition to the KC-10 Extender. 4 sold to Iran.
Boeing KC-767Boeing 767-200ERFlying boomProductionWith cockpit updates was (eventually) the winning entry in the USAF KC-X competition.
Boeing KC-46 Pegasus767-200ERFlying boomProductionUSAF designation for Boeing's updated winning KC-767 entry.
Boeing F/A-18E/F Super HornetUSJetProbe-and-drogueEquipped for buddy refueling as "Strike tankers". Taking over tanking duties as the S-3 is retired from service.
Dassault-Breguet Super ÉtendardFranceJetProbe-and-drogueBuddy refueling
Dassault RafaleFranceJetProbe-and-drogueBuddy refueling.
de Havilland Sea VixenProbe-and-drogueBuddy refueling.
Douglas KA-3B SkywarriorUSJetProbe-and-drogueDedicated tanker variant of the Skywarrior. Primary US Navy tanker from the Vietnam War until retirement prior to Desert Storm.
Douglas A-4 SkyhawkUSJetProbe-and-drogueBuddy refueling.
Douglas C-1USPropellerGravity flow hose1929
Embraer KC-390Probe-and-drogueCobham air-to-air refuelling system
Grumman KA-6D IntruderProbe-and-drogueDedicated tanker variant of the Intruder. Attack variants of the A-6 also capable of buddy tanking
Handley Page Type WType WUKBiplaneLooped hose1935Operational1Early trials and demonstrations by Flight Refuelling Ltd.
Handley Page VictorProbe-and-drogueB(K).1A, K.1, K.1A and K.2 variants
Ilyushin Il-78 MidasIl-76USSRProbe-and-drogue
Lockheed HC-130 Hercules and KC-130 HerculesC-130 HerculesProbe-and-drogueVariants: Royal Canadian Air Force modified C-130H, Royal Air Force modified C-130K.
Lockheed S-3 VikingProbe-and-drogueThe former primary US Navy carrier-based tanker, equipped for buddy tanking
Lockheed TriStarProbe-and-drogueK1 and KC1 variants deployed by the RAF
LTV A-7 Corsair IIProbe-and-drogueEquipped for buddy tanking in US Navy and Greek Air Force service
McDonnell Douglas KC-10 ExtenderMcDonnell Douglas DC-10Flying boomProduction

Also has a retractable hose and drogue that can be selected in-flight. Can be fitted with two underwing pods (similar to the KC-135's MPRS) capable of simultaneously refueling two receiver aircraft (Wing Air Refueling Pods or WARPs). The Royal Netherlands Air Force operates two KDC-10s; former civil aircraft modified to a standard similar to the KC-10.

Mikoyan MiG-29KProbe-and-drogueBuddy refueling
Myasishchev M-4-2M-4 bomberProbe-and-drogue
Myasishchev 3MS-23M bomberProbe-and-drogue
Panavia TornadoProbe-and-drogueBuddy refueling
Sukhoi Su-24MProbe-and-drogueequipped for buddy refueling with the UPAZ container as "Strike tankers"
Sukhoi Su-33Probe-and-drogueBuddy refueling
Supermarine ScimitarProbe-and-drogueBuddy refueling
Tupolev Tu-16NTu-16 bomberProbe-and-drogue
Tupolev Tu-16ZWing-to-wing
Vickers ValiantProbe-and-drogueB(PR)K.1 and B(K).1 variants served with the RAF
Vickers VC10Probe-and-drogueC1K, K2 K3 and K4 variants.
Xian H-6UProbe-and-drogue

References
  1. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-10-30. Retrieved 2009-11-17.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.