Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoons based in the Middle East have successfully carried out air-to-air refuelling from a German Air Force Atlas A400M for the first time, both during the night and the day, according to a press release.
This milestone qualifies RAF pilots in refuelling from a different aircraft type, expanding the flexibility and agility of their operations in the region under the International Counter Daesh Coalition.
“Developing this new capability is extremely important as it adds increased flexibility and agility to our air operations here. Operating together strengthens the coalition collectively,” said Wing Commander Chris Pearson, the RAF Typhoon squadron commander in the Middle East, as quoted in the press release.
The practice of multinational air-to-air refuelling, sometimes referred to as providing “Purple Gas,” has long been a key element of Coalition operations. While the RAF primarily relies on Voyager Multi Role Transport Tankers for refuelling, it regularly collaborates with other partners’ aircraft. According to the press release, an RAF Typhoon pilot explained that working with a German A400M presented new challenges.
“We are well trained and experienced in refuelling from the Voyager aircraft as operated by the RAF and other nations, refuelling from A400M however was different because of subtleties that make a surprisingly big difference; such as refuelling airspeed, hose response and markings, basket size and shape and aircraft lighting at night. The German crews were extremely professional, and we enjoy working with them a great deal.”
The German Air Force can configure its A400M as a tanker, whereas the RAF A400M fleet is predominantly used for tactical transport. By expanding this interoperability, the RAF and its Coalition partners enhance their operational options in the ongoing efforts to counter Daesh in Iraq and Eastern Syria, part of the UK’s Operation Shader.
This operation began in 2014 as a humanitarian mission over Mount Sinjar and has evolved into a broader campaign to combat Daesh in the region.
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Impressive that this is possible. Wasn’t expecting there to be much of an overlap between stall speeds of the two planes.
Actually the optimum Air Refueling envelope is well above the stall speed of both Aircraft. What makes me shake my head is that although we pioneered it and Cobham are the “go to” provider our Air to Air capability is hamstrung by the PFI contract.
If I am wrong can someone put me right on this, but my understanding is Air Tanker Holdings Contract excludes any other Air to Air capability, its in effect a monopoly. So although we have A400m we can’t use the to refuel our own aircraft so haven’t bought the necessary kit or training.
What makes it worse is we didn’t fit the US style “Flying Boom” system in the centre line so we can’t refuel the E7, P8 etc, nor USAF style aircraft such as the F35A, F16 or F15.
So here we are with the largest Fleet of Air refuelling Tankers in Europe and we are hobbled from either maximising its capability by cost cutting or expanding it by using A400m. It’s a massive Force Multiplier and we have shackled it.
If there is anyone on UKDJ who knows the detail of the contract I’d love to know if we have a “Force Majeure” clause or the ability to renegotiate it so we can expand it.
The contract doesn’t exclude the RAF having another capability but it must pay a penalty if it uses one. There is absolutely nothing in the PFI contract to stop us acquiring the refuelling kits for all our A400M as a war time contingency. We can conduct training as well. Given how desperate all the members of the AirTanker consortium are to sell more A400M we could probably get a decent exit deal on the AirTanker PFI deal as part of an order for more A400M.
If that’s possible without incurring penalty then It should be done now, not in a rush if war breaks out. The PFI deal has always looked like a money bonfire.
We can’t leave ourselves exposed to the Risk of the USAF being ordered not to provide us with fuell when we really need it; a scenario that sadly is looking increasingly possible.
Should we also be retrofitting refuel probes to all large RAF assets? For he same reason? I think so.
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Also nothing to stop us acquiring this for helicopters, our Merlin’s and chinooks can all fill up from A400M and it’s outside the terms of the PFI.
I spent several years on the AirTanker board. Yes, there are ways around this. Particularly for helicopter refuelling. In extremis, you could even use the PFI to finance the hardware required and operate the missions on a tasking basis with RAF crews, if you really wanted to. But AirTanker would quite rightly say, before doing that, why don’t you first utilise the A330 MRTT capacity to the full? Although MRTT could not refuel helicopters. The problem is that there is no RAF requirement to do so, although it’s been talked about from time to time. What has been talked a lot about over the years is retrofitting the tankers with a boom. That’s recognised by the RAF as having been a mistake. Airbus has said it would be cheaper to buy a second-hand A330 and converted from scratch with a boom, than do the retrofit to the existing fleet. I don’t know the exact sums behind this, but again, plenty of talk but no commitment on the part of the RAF.
I know a Voyager Pilot really well and he said there just isn’t any need. None of the types that have Boom refuelling options need AAR, so the RAF has never seriously written a requirement for it. In his words “the C17 can reach Afghanistan and back on internal fuel because we bought extended tanks, the P8 has an endurance exceeding its required mission profiles as does Rivet Joint – what would we need it for?”
That’s until we have another Falklands style war where local air bases are not available but yeah that does seem highly unrealistic.
The main advantage I see is keeping wedgetail / p8 on station for longer in the event of a war, considering we have so few that rotating them in and out would be a challenge over an extended period.
Interesting.
Though I believe our Rivets are/have been refuelled on take off by USAF KCs?
DM is right the Rivet Joint refuel 90% of flights from 135’s from Lakenheath do it off Wash right after departure.
If that’s possible without incurring penalty then It should be done now, not in a rush if war breaks out. The PFI deal has always looked like a money bonfire.
We can’t leave ourselves exposed to the Risk of the USAF being ordered not to provide us with fuell when we really need it; a scenario that sadly is looking increasingly possible.
Should we also be retrofitting refuel probes to all large RAF assets? For he same reason? I think so.
?
Thanks for all the insight, great to see more experienced commentators on here. I would say the main reason for looking for A400M capacity would be to replace aircraft shot down during a conflict. Projections in modern warfare especially against china are not good for tankers. The A400m short field capability might also be vital in a shooting war where large runways are no existent.
Ideally you take off with a lighter fuel load and top off to save wear and tear on the engines.
The other requirement is Falklands or Pacific operations where the distances are huge.
That was my thinking too, if you can reduce Take Off Loads your Airframes will appreciate it long term.
Or you take off with low fuel but a maximum load and then top up with fuel. Surely taking off tanks full means less cargo, might be critical in wartime, nice to have the option.
In fairness, I doubt Cobham are complaining seeing as they are part of the Air Tanker consortium
A capability that the RAF should have.
It’s bonkers the RAF cannot use this capability because of a private contracts requirement.
No that we are on a “war footing” , the contract should be binned. PFI was a scandal.
But the RAF didn’t ask for the requirement.
No, but I have not asked for a hell of a lot of things in my time, because I knew I would not get them and just burn capital trying..even though I knew I really wanted them.
Having a PFI that restricted the RAF in using that capability if it needed to was simply weak contracting…
French Rafales have been refuelled by German A400m for several years already. And German A400Ms refuel german EF and Tornado every day. It is surprising that the UK did never order this refueling pod.
Good to see that it works, though.
Not only has A400m refuelled Rafales for year, Rafales have refuelled A400m too!
Seriously?! This I’ve got to see!
Seen it and it’s bloody incredible. Not sure how useful it will be, though… 🤔
This could be quite an important capability for air policing in Ukraine as Germany could refuel our jets on their way over (obviously most would likely be based in eastern Europe but it gives another convenient option) should something become necessary along those lines
I’m frustrated that we aren’t able to refuel our US jets and I’m hoping it’s something corrected in the SDR as at the moment it’s clear the US are not going to reliably support.
RAF Jets won’t be doing Air Policing over Ukraine.
And if by some bizarre scenario they did good luck finding a Luftwaffe A400 to Tank with 😔.
More interesting is why the German airforce uses their A400m’s for this: There are 4 A330MRRT’s based in Germany (at Koln-Bonn airport) and they are from the Nato multinational aircraft fleet of 10 aircraft, so these are not specific Luftwaffe assets. Germany does have about 47 A400M’s, with more on order, so would appear to be able to spare these tactical transporters for the refueling role. The cynic in me is wondering if all of these aircraft are actually being used, espcially as there are ongoing murmerings that they are trying to sell off or sell on part of their A400M fleet as they are contracted to buy the full 53 airframes they ordered from Airbus…
When is the pfi up, wonder if the contract will be renewed or the RAF purchase new with booms?
Sorry to say but 2035 🤦🏼♂️
Should of had booms fitted to 4a/c and main deck frieght door fitted to 6 a/c, kept 4 as std layout with plumbing for wing pods to do airbridge / vip but could be added quick.