Northrop Grumman KC-45 Tanker: KC-45 Program Update

KC-45 Program Update

February 12, 2008

Recent flight test milestones have demonstrated the maturity and low development risk for the state-of-the-art refueling system on Northrop Grumman's KC-45 Tanker.

Evaluations with the aircraft's all-digital FRL 905E-series refueling pods were made using the Royal Australian Air Force's no. 1 A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), underscoring their "rock solid" stability at a full range of speeds and altitudes. For the testing, an F/A-18 combat aircraft made operational-type approaches behind the extended hoses and drogues as they trailed from the pods under the A330 MRTT's left and right wings - with the fighter moving into very close proximity at the pre-contact position.

The hoses and drogues were extended at lengths of 75 ft., 82 ft. and 90 ft. during multiple deployments at altitudes from 10,000 ft. to 35,000 ft., and at airspeeds ranging from 180 kts. to 300 kts. These deployments were made as the A330 MRTT flew in both level flight and while banking, reflecting typical operational profiles during refueling missions. In all scenarios, the Cobham/Sargent Fletcher-built FRL 905E-series hose and drogue system exhibited total and complete stability, which is critical for successful refueling of probe-equipped receiver aircraft.

During the same flight, the Royal Australian Air Force's A330 MRTT joined up with the A310 demonstrator aircraft that carries the Aerial Refueling Boom System (ARBS), confirming the ARBS' compatibility with large receiver aircraft. The ARBS was extended to various points throughout the refueling envelope as the A330 MRTT moved to within six inches of the all-electric fly-by-wire boom.

The Aerial Refueling Boom system's contacts with an F-16 receiver aircraft were made at 27,000 feet, and reflected a typical refueling mission.

The Royal Australian Air Force A330 MRTT's hose and drogue demonstrates "rock solid" stability as the F/A-18 makes an operational-type approach.

In an earlier flight test milestone, the A310 demonstrator used its ARBS to make the first in-flight contacts with a receiver aircraft. The contacts reflected a typical refueling mission, with the ARBS' boom deployed to its operational length and inserted into the refueling receptacle of an F-16. Multiple boom hook-ups were conducted with this F-16 receiver aircraft.

The ARBS was controlled for the F-16 in-flight contacts by Don Cash, a 21-year U.S. Air Force veteran and refueling boom operator, using the A310's Remote Aerial Refueling Operator (RARO) console. The RARO station employs a three-dimensional vision surveillance system, providing a high-fidelity visual representation of the boom's position during the entire air-to-air refueling process.