Originally Posted by
WE Branch Fanatic
I understand that the US Navy intends to use the MQ-25 in lieu of Hornets with buddy tanks, primarily offering a suck of gas to the aircraft that struggles to get down onto the carrier deck and has to go around again.
Aircraft landing vertically do not have this need.
Ummm, not quite. The MQ-25 has a large fuel offload requirement at a significant range from the carrier. This is to give the fighters making the attack considerably greater range, enabling the carrier to be further out at sea and more difficult to attack. And with the automated landings afforded by F-35 and Magic Carpet on Super Hornet, bolters will become far far fewer, significantly reducing tanker requirements around the carrier. We are entering a whole new world.