Maybe their civilian comrades over there in Aeroflot can
help them out, oh look - here comes a load of Smirnoff now!
Posted on 07/08/2010 9:12:05 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The inter-theater redeployment of aircraft during Vostok-2010 was one of the key events of the strategic war games, which end today. The Su-24 Fencer and Su-34 Fullback tactical bombers used midair refueling to fly to the Russian Far East.
In-flight refueling, routinely used by the world's leading powers, including the United States and NATO countries, allows for the quick build-up of air power in a given zone of conflict.
To efficiently implement that maneuver, a country should have a sufficient number of flying tankers, combat aircraft equipped for midair refueling, transport planes to carry auxiliary personnel and cargo, and crews capable of fulfilling such missions.
None of these elements are sufficient in Russia.
The Il-78 (Il-78M) Midas, based on the Il-76 military transport plane, is Russia's only flying tanker. Russia has 19 such planes equipped for midair refueling of the Tu-160 Blackjack and Tu-95 Bear strategic bombers and the A-50 Mainstay early warning and control planes. This is certainly not enough.
(Excerpt) Read more at en.rian.ru ...
Tell tham both EADS and Boeing are looking for customers.
yes because their ‘superior’ t-50 can’t just refuel itself.
I know the Russians/Soviets used old Mya-4 “Bison” bombers as refueling planes but they were phased out in the mid 1990’s.
Call:
ask for comrade Odinga.
All of Russia’s aircraft us the Hose and Drogue method of refueling. This means that just about any aircraft can be made into a tanker. The U.S. Navy, using buddy stores, routinely make aircraft such as the F/A-18 into temporary tankers.
Why they insist on a specially modified IL-78 for refueling instead of modifying their fleet of IL-76s to accept underwing refueling pods is beyond me.
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