Fill her up: RAF's Wedgetail fleet to benefit from link-up with USAF KC-46 tanker
A Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail has been refuelled in the air by a US Air Force tanker – the first time the type has been topped up by a foreign aircraft.
The USAF KC-46A Pegasus from 418th Flight Test Squadron carried out the air-to-air refuelling in the airspace near Edwards Air Force Base in California.
A Royal Air Force officer took part in the test as the RAF also operates a fleet of E-7s – designated AEW Mk1 in RAF service.
The E-7 was designed by Boeing for the Royal Australian Air Force, but has since been adopted by Turkey and South Korea as well as the UK and US. "This test event reflects the joint collaboration and interoperability between our three nations," said Squadron Leader Angus Lilly. "This early collaboration will help us field our capability more efficiently."
Aerial refuelling enhances the combat capability of the Wedgetail – the most technologically advanced AEW&C aircraft available.
It's expected to provide the RAF with eyes in the sky for at least the next 20 years, seeing far beyond ground-based systems and fighter aircraft sensors.
"The RAAF is the original operator of the E-7A aircraft," said Squadron Leader Owen Hamilton of the Royal Australian Air Force.
"We have already tested and overcome many early challenges typical of a new platform. This unique knowledge allows us to guide our allies in the UK and US to field their own E-7A Wedgetail capability faster."
Bringing three nations together for testing presented challenges, including understanding the required processes for secure data sharing between the KC-46 and E-7A, two aircraft that had never before interfaced.
But lessons have been learned and the KC-46 now has a data baseline for certifying unique foreign aircraft.
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