Bell-Boeing Plans V-22 Tanker Demonstration in August 27 Jun 2013 By RICHARD R. BURGESS, Managing Editor
"ARLINGTON, Va. — Bell-Boeing, the joint venture that builds the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor transport aircraft, plans to demonstrate the aircraft’s potential as an organic aerial refueler during trials in early August.
“By using a concept that is being developed by Bell-Boeing engineers, using the roll-on Mission Auxiliary tanks, Bell-Boeing will do an airborne demonstration of V-22 in the tanker role with their technology demonstrator aircraft,” said Brian Roby, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems’s field office representative in San Diego. “It is my understanding that they will drag a refueling basket behind the aircraft at various positions with an F/A-18 in the refueling position. No fuel will be passed during this demo; it will just be a proof of concept.
“Should this demonstration be successful it will be another significant step towards demonstrating how a single type/model/series aircraft, V-22, can provide added mission utility while attached to a carrier,” Roby said."
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