NATO Multimedia

When fighter pilots need extra fuel, they turn to air-to-air refuelling tankers, their gas stations in the sky.

For fighter pilots, few sights are as welcome as an air-to-air refuelling 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.

Footage includes shots of various fighter jets refuelling from French C-130 Hercules transport aircraft and of AWACS aircraft. Some of the shots were supplied by the French and Dutch Defence Ministries.

Two refuelling tankers in the sky

-TEXT ON SCREEN-

REFUELLING TANKERS ARE
GAS STATIONS IN THE SKY

Various shots of refuelling tankers

Refuelling tanker and fighter jet

TEXT -
Major ‘Christian’, German Air Force

-SOUNDBITE-(ENGLISH)
MAJOR ‘CHRISTIAN’, GERMAN AIR FORCE

“All the assets which are involved in ground fights or air-to-air fights, they have with air-to-air refuelling the ability to stay longer in theatre, which gives the forces more efficiency. It gives us a lot of advantage.”

French pilot in fighter jet cockpit

German refuelling aircraft and various fighter jets

Various fighter jet shots

-TEXT ON SCREEN-


A JET CARRIES UP TO 7 TONNES OF FUEL

WHICH LASTS UP TO 3 HOURS
Refuelling tanker

REFUELLING TANKERS CAN HOLD UP TO 16 TIMES THAT

-SOUNDBITE-(ENGLISH)
MAJOR CHRISTIAN, GERMAN AIR FORCE

“We have a very wide range for refuelling. It goes from 5,000 feet up to 35,000 feet. The speed range goes from 200 knots up to 300 knots.”

Fighter jet refuelling

Cockpit shot showing French pilot


Fighter jets

Refuelling shot from angle of cockpit

AWACS refuelling shots

TANKERS ARE USED TO REFUEL A WIDE RANGE OF AIRCRAFT

NATO IS WORKING WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION

TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF EUROPEAN ALLIES
IN AIR-TO-AIR REFUELLING


Fighter jets fly off