THE NEED TO SIMPLIFY AND IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF A COMPLEX PROCEDURE
Most armed services, including the U.S. Navy, use a probe and drogue system
to refuel their aircraft midflight. Unlike the rigid flying boom method, which
is mostly only used by the U.S. Air Force to refill fighter jets and long-range
bombers, the probe and drogue method can also be used on helicopters. It was
developed to remove the need for extra tanker crew members, and it places the
onus on the receiving aircraft's pilot to approach and guide the fuel probe into
the drogue. However, turbulence or pilot miscalculations can lead to the dangling
drogue contacting and potentially damaging other parts of the aircraft, including
its stealth coating. To protect against this, the U.S. Navy needed a safer, more
simple solution to help pilots connect their fuel probes to the drogue. >
If not engaged correctly, the probe and drogue systems used by the
U.S. Navy to refuel midflight can damage aircraft and put crew at risk.
EXPLORE OUR AVIONICS AND FLIGHT SAFETY RESOURCES
CASE STUDY
mrcy.com
DROGUE TRACKING SYSTEM (DTS) / U.S. NAVY
AI IN THE SKY: CHANGING HOW
AIRCRAFT REFUEL MIDFLIGHT
