Subscribe to our RSS feed

Issue 32 - December 10, 2007

In this issue of the EADS North America Tanker Activity Update:

•	First receiver aircraft contacts made with EADS' Aerial Refueling Boom System

EADS’ Aerial Refueling Boom System (ARBS) for the Northrop Grumman KC-30 Tanker performed its first in-flight contacts with a receiver aircraft, marking the successful completion of a key program milestone and underscoring the  low-risk approach for quickly replacing the U.S. Air Force's KC-135 tanker fleet.

The initial refueling contacts used the advanced ARBS installed on an A310 testbed aircraft, which operated with an F-16 receiver aircraft flying at 27,000 feet. The contacts reflected a typical refueling mission, with the ARBS' boom deployed to its operational length and inserted into the F-16 receiver aircraft's refueling receptacle.

Multiple boom hook-ups were conducted with the F-16. The ARBS was controlled 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. Today's flight test was the 60th for the boom, totaling more than 160 flight hours.

EADS developed the ARBS – the most capable in-flight refueling system available today – as Northrop Grumman's KC-30 Tanker teammate.  The fly-by-wire boom is already onboard the first of five KC-30B Multi-Role Tanker/Transport aircraft EADS is supplying to the Royal Australian Air Force, and will be used on three similar A330 MRTT aircraft ordered by the United Arab Emirates.

Fly-by-wire technology incorporated in the ARBS provides enhanced controllability and includes an automatic load alleviation system, which greatly aids the boom operator -- as well as the receiver aircraft's pilot -- during refueling operations. With the capacity to offload up to 1,200 gallons of fuel per minute, the ARBS is easily adaptable to future mission requirements, including the refueling of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Following the ARBS' initial in-flight contacts, subsequent tests will be performed with fuel transfers from the A310 testbed's boom to a variety of receiver aircraft.

Contact:
Guy Hicks
Vice President – Communications and Public Relations
EADS North America
Tel: 703 236-3300
e-mail: guy.hicks@eads-na.com