USAF Fighters Top Off From A Civilian-Operated Air-To-Air Tanker

For the first time, a civilian-operated KDC-10 tanker supported U.S. Air Force fighters in aerial refueling operations early last month. Operated by San Antonio, Texas-based Omega Aerial Refueling Services, the KDC-10 was equipped with “mission-essential personnel and equipment” and refueled USAF F-16s on a mission from Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, to Singapore.

Lt. Col. Curtis Holtman, Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) air mobility operations chief, cited earlier refueling missions involving larger reconnaissance jets, adding, “We’re expanding that aperture in PACAF, and identified a proof-of-concept employment to refuel fighter aircraft during exercise Commando Sling 23.”

Holtman added that the exercises would also include commercial refuelers providing air-to-air refueling to F-15Cs and F-22s as well as the F-16s. “If we can use commercial air refueling to cover the point A to point B movements for exercise participation across unit readiness training,” he said, “then it frees up our warfighter tanker fleet to be ready to respond for emerging contingency requirements. This is another mechanism that we can leverage to increase our warfighter readiness.”