Originally Posted by Lazer-Hound
I'm intrigued that the RAF assets the US allegedly considered 'essential' amounted to:
3 x Canberra (now retired)
3 x R1
About a dozen ancient tankers
Er, that's it. So can we assume the US considered the other 95% of the RAF a complete waste of space?
I'm well aware USN/USMC use the same refueling system as the RAF. I'm also well aware that some 100 USAF tankers are permanently fitted with that system, and that any of several hundred KC135s can easily be converted to a P&D system by the simple expedient of removing the lower half of the boom and replacing it with a hose. Not ideal, but it works. The idea that the RAF's tanker fleet was 'essential' to the Afghan ops is absurd - USAF could easily have done it if it needed to.
Lazer. S'funny. I wonder who was flying the PR9 here yesterday! Not quite out of service and the important point is that we
did have a capability that the US could not match when they requested. The same applies to the R1. And those 12 or so ancient tankers provided 25% of the AAR for the USN/USMC
because even the USAF were running out of tankers to support the Marines and the Navy. Anyway I think you will find that the USAF inventory of tankers is even more ancient than our ancient 10s!!
Originally Posted by Lazer-Hound
Now, my maths may be a bit off but methings 59 KC10 + 45 KC135 = 104 boom and drogue equipped USAF tankers
But you miss the point that the USAF do not routinely fly with the pods fitted (except on the KC 10) and they do have a significant serviceability problem with theirs. They also view tanking USAF as higher priority than tanking USN, which is why the USN often contract peacetime exercise tanking from Omega Air.
Becausethey cannot get it from the always busy USAF.
Originally Posted by Lazer-Hound
Ideally FSTA (if it ever comes) will have both flying boom and drogues, enabling it to refuel just about any fixed-wing aircraft. Currently the RAF can only refuel USN/USMC FJ, 'cos they use the drogue method like the RAF.
Sadly the scrutineers in London would NEVER allow that to happen. There is NO UK requirement for boom tanking therefore you cannot buy something with tax payers money that cannot be justified. Now logic and military judgement should dictate that interoperability would mean a boom as well as probe and drogue should come as standard on FSTA. But logic and military judgement do not hold any sway against the 'no UK requirement' and DCRS attitude of "No, what is the question?" FSTA does not have a boom.
Mead Pusher
The best riposte so far!!