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Air-to-Air Refuelling - Gas Stations in the Sky

Natochannel

Oct. 21, 2019 | 1:02

For fighter pilots, few sights are as welcome as an air-to-air refueling tanker. These flying gas stations enable pilots to stay airborne longer, fly further, and perform more complex missions. The European Air Transport Command, in cooperation with NATO, provides this service for Allied fighters. NATO tanker operators honed their skills during European Air-to-Air Refueling Training 2018 in the Netherlands in April 2018. EART 2018 is a dedicated air-to-air refueling training for tankers and crews in order to become familiar with realistic scenarios to which they are not regularly exposed. Another objective is to maintain proficiency and enhance mutual knowledge of multinational tanker aircraft. Footage includes shots of various fighter jets refueling from French C- 130 Hercules transport aircraft. Some of the shots were supplied by the French and Dutch Defence Ministries.