Page 6 - Aerotech News and Review 12-18-15

Defense News

Australian refueler connects USAF, RAAF test teams

by Rebecca Amber to execute a portion of the aerial re-
Edwards AFB, Calif. fueling testing that requires an instru-
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$5R\DO$XVWUDOLDQ$LU)RUFH.& one stationed here at Edwards. After
30 tanker that arrived at Edwards Air C-17 testing is complete, aerial refuel-
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D&RDOLWLRQ7DQNHU$HULDO5HIXHOLQJ In spring of 2016 an Italian 767 aer- the boom operator lying in a pod look- ceivers are boom refueled,” said White. Air Force photographs by Christian Turner
&HUWL¿FDWLRQ(IIRUW ial refueling tanker will come to Ed- ing out a window, it’s operated from During September and October
wards to continue the coalition effort, WKHÀLJKWGHFNE\DHULDOUHIXHOLQJRI- ³>7KH$@LVQRWDFWXDOO\JRLQJWR
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was Dec. 3 when the KC-30 refueled WKH8QLWHG$UDE(PLUDWHV.&ZLOO glasses for depth perception. VHYHQZHHNVRIFHUWL¿FDWLRQWHVWLQJIRU in the air, execute our test and the A-10
DQ(GZDUGV) conduct the last leg of testing with a WKH)-RLQW6WULNH)LJKWHU7KRXJK ZLOOUHWXUQEDFNWR'DYLV0RQWKDQ´
%DQGDQ$LQWKHODWHUVXPPHU ³7KH86$LU)RUFHLVYHU\LQWHUHVW- the testing was not part of the coalition VDLG0DUWLQH]³6DPHWKLQJZLWKWKH
7KHFRDOLWLRQWHVWHIIRUWZLOOVDWLVI\ months. ed in the boom capability, all their re- effort, it did provide an integrated test ) DV LW ZLOO GHSOR\ IURP 1HOOLV
the testing required to certify Austra- team model for the future testing efforts we’ll rendezvous somewhere between
OLDQ8QLWHG$UDE(PLUDWHVDQG,WDOLDQ ³7KH>$XVWUDOLDQ@.&LVEDVHGRQ to follow. (GZDUGVDQG1HOOLV$)%WRH[HFXWHWKH
WDQNHUVWRUHIXHO86$LU)RUFH)V the Airbus A330 commercial aircraft WHVWLQJDQGUHWXUQWR1HOOLV´
)V%VDQG$VXVLQJWKHLUUH- that’s been militarized, turned into a 7KHLQWHJUDWHGWHVWWHDPLV³GH¿QLWH-
spective booms. tanker, and for us we’ve also got 270 ly something that’s very progressive for Aerial refueling testing with the
passenger seats in the aircraft,” said us. And we’re really pleased to be part other receivers will be executed in Ed-
“It’s never been done before with White. of that,” said White. “We have all the ZDUGVDLUVSDFHDQGRYHUWKH6HD7HVW
foreign tankers and it gives us capabil- NQRZOHGJHRQRXUWDQNHUDQG86$LU Range off the coast of California.
ity for the coalition effort. We don’t 7KH.&LVD0XOWL5ROH7DQNHU )RUFHKDVDOOWKHNQRZOHGJHRQWKHLU
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to support our aircraft,” said Adrian for passengers, cargo or as a tanker. HOLQJ&HUWL¿FDWLRQ(IIRUWZDVVLJQHG
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$HULDO5HIXHOLQJ,QWHJUDWHG7HVW7HDP began working towards refueling cer- LQYROYHPHPEHUVRIWKHWK)OLJKW EHFRPSOHWHGE\WKHHQGRI¿VFDO\HDU
OHDGVHQLRUSURMHFWPDQDJHU WL¿FDWLRQVLQZLWKPRUHIRFXVRQ 7HVW6TXDGURQDQGWKHWK)/76LQ 2016.
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such as fuel pressure surges, stability ed hose and drogue testing that allowed LQVWUXPHQW ERWK WKH )( DQG WKH you have the gas to do it,” said Sawn
of the aircraft being refueled and the the KC-30 to refuel Royal Australian $7KH$ZLOOFRPHIURP0RRG\ 6DQGODQGRQHRIWKHWK)OLJKW7HVW
handling qualities of the boom for a full 1DY\)V $)%*DDQGRSHUDWHRXWRI'DYLV 6TXDGURQ$HULDO5HIXHOLQJ7DQNHU7HVW
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and receiver pair,” said Colin White, such as the KC-135 and KC-10, the
Australian KC-30A Aerial Refueling .&$HULDO5HIXHOLQJ%RRP6\VWHP
clearance manager. $5%6LVVRIWZDUHGULYHQ,QVWHDGRI

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test was critical because it established
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the KC-30 via boom without relying on
support tankers such as the KC-135 and
KC-10 in future tests.

“And then we’ll go and we’ll bomb
it up and we’ll have symmetrical loads
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ration,” said White.

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their KC-30 will return to Edwards in
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“Early next year we are planning ZLOORSHUDWHRXWRI1HOOLV$)%1HY and other Coalition Partners.”

Edwards air-launches target missile for MDA test

by Rebecca Amber conditions on the back of the aircraft.”
“High altitude, heavy weight airdrop is something
Edwards AFB, Calif.
we’re doing a lot of here at Edwards, supporting not
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C-17 with air and maintenance crews from Edwards Air WKDWZH¶YHEHHQGRLQJRXWDW<XPD´VDLG&DSW6WHSKHQ
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test pilot.
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WRVXSSRUWD0LVVLOH'HIHQVH$JHQF\WHVWRIWKH%DO- “Dropping something that heavy at that high of an
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Ocean. getting very good at those unique missions.”

Edward’s role in the test was to launch a ballistic 7KH DLUGURS VXSSRUWHG 0'$¶V %DOOLVWLF 0LVVLOH
missile target at a precise time and location for the de- Defense System designed to negate ballistic missile
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nance Group personnel spent the months leading up to
the test keeping the missile under “strict environmental See MDA, Page 8

MDA photograph

An Air Force Test Center C-17 manned by an Edwards crew launches a second target, an extended Medium
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destroyed a Short Range Air Launch Target.

6 Aerotech News and Review December 18, 2015

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