A Royal Air Pressure official on the World Air and Area Chiefs’ Convention 2026 has confirmed that the deliberate GCAP fighter shall be designed for increase refueling, which means it won’t be suitable from the outset with the RAF’s hose and drogue refueling system.
Gareth Jennings, Aviation Desk Editor for Janes, quotes an unnamed official on the Air Energy Affiliation’s annual World Air and Area Chiefs’ Convention, saying: “We at the moment should not have increase within the UK. We’ve got a requirement for increase from GCAP. We’ve got to resolve that requirement, and that’s what we’re now .”
.@RoyalAirForce confirmed at the moment that #GCAP shall be refuelled by way of increase somewhat than hose. “We at the moment should not have increase within the UK. We’ve got a requirement for increase from GCAP. We’ve got to resolve that requirement, and that’s what we’re now .” – service official at…
— Gareth Jennings (@GarethJennings3) July 15, 2026
This follows earlier renderings which have depicted the GCAP fighter with what seems to be a door for a refueling receptacle however not with any related hatch that might include an extendable refueling probe.
The RAF has lengthy maintained a choice for hose and drogue refueling, typically on the vital value of bespoke modifications to plane designed for increase refueling.
Whereas providing a decreased gasoline switch fee in comparison with the flying increase system most well-liked by the U.S. Air Pressure and subsequently adopted by many different air arms, the extra compact hose and drogue system can permit the simultaneous refueling of a number of receivers from one tanker plane, and has traditionally allowed plane and not using a built-in refueling functionality to be modified with mounted probes and gasoline piping.
#OTD 28 April 1982, and following its profitable first flight from Woodvale the day earlier than, a #Nimrod MR2P carried out its first air-to-air refueling mission with one of many few #Victor tankers left remaining within the UK. #Falklands40 pic.twitter.com/2xyErzW0gP
— John Shields (@airpower1982) April 28, 2022
Such modifications had been made to the RAF’s VC10s and Tristars when transformed from civilian specification, and had been adopted onto the Avro Vulcan and Handley-Web page Victor early of their careers. The Hawker Siddeley Nimrod additionally acquired this improve as an pressing requirement for the 1982 Falklands Battle. This continued in use for many years till the 2006 crash of Nimrod MR2 XV230 over Afghanistan, inflicting the demise of all 14 on board. The trigger was narrowed all the way down to a gasoline leak or overflow suffered throughout aerial refueling, and all aerial refueling operations with the Nimrod had been halted from 2007.
Fashionable, stringent airworthiness laws had already referred to as the Nimrod’s security into query, they usually most definitely would forestall any additional modifications to an plane’s gasoline system and not using a vital testing and certification course of. As such, many plane have now been launched into RAF service with none modifications and subsequently with none likelihood of being refueled by the RAF’s personal tanker fleet. This consists of the RC-135W Rivet Joint, the P-8A Poseidon MRA1, the C-17A Globemaster III, and, quickly, the E-7A Wedgetail AEW1.
A superb factor it’s, as a result of the RAF Rivet Joint will actually be the primary sufferer if 100 Wing USAF leaves with its tankers.
USAF tankers have refueled Rivet Joint to date, enabling it and its missions in the direction of Russia. The RAF’s personal tankers can’t try this for lack of the increase…
— Gabriele Molinelli (@Gabriel64869839) June 19, 2026
The latest resolution to obtain 12 F-35A Lightning II plane as a part of the subsequent tranche of F-35 orders will add one more boom-refueling solely plane to the RAF’s stock. Whereas a hose and drogue modification for the F-35A is claimed to be doable, no buyer has specified this selection and it’s unlikely it could be put into service for such a small buy of jets.
Though the A330 MRTT is used the world over with a flying increase system, the RAF’s examples, generally known as Voyagers – owned by the AirTanker consortium and leased to the RAF by way of a personal finance initiative (PFI) – are fitted for hose and drogue refueling operations solely. Voyager KC2 plane are configured with two wing-mounted Cobham 905E hose and drogue models whereas Voyager KC3 plane moreover characteristic a Cobham 805E Fuselage Refueling Unit (FRU) within the rear fuselage with the choice for a better gasoline switch fee for bigger plane just like the Airbus A400M.
French air drive A330 MRTT conducting nighttime aerial refuelling of Polish air drive F-16s over Poland.🇫🇷🇵🇱⛽️📸by 31. Baza Lotnictwa Taktycznego Poznań-Krzesiny / FB pic.twitter.com/jjJtiWykpe
— Tom Antonov (@Tom_Antonov) June 25, 2026
Whereas nonetheless comparatively new, the RAF’s Voyagers are among the many oldest MRTTs in service. Deliveries started in 2011, and had been accomplished in 2016. Of the fourteen plane delivered, 9 kind a ‘core’ fleet completely obtainable for navy service whereas the 5 remaining jets will be made obtainable for civilian constitution or lease when not required by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Every Voyager has each a navy serial and a civilian registration assigned to it for that reason, and plane have often moved between the core and surge fleets as required. When carrying a civilian registration the navy modifications are eliminated and for all intents and functions they revert to being Airbus A330-200s. One specific plane, ZZ336, was chosen to obtain particular upgrades for VIP transport in 2015, and was later adorned with a UK Authorities paint scheme. Although nonetheless often used for VIP duties, that is now extra typically lined by an A321neo on a long run constitution from Titan Airways. ZZ336, or Vespina as additionally it is recognized, is subsequently generally seen supporting UK coaching sorties or Fast Response Alert (QRA) operations.
Get pleasure from These Gorgeous Pictures Of RAF Voyager “Vespina” Throughout Aerial Refueling Ops With RAF F-35Bs And Typhoons: pic.twitter.com/fBNMcQdiQo
— The Aviationist (@TheAviationist) June 26, 2020
It has continuously been stated that AirTanker would oppose the modification of Voyager plane with the flying increase system as it could complicate shifting plane between the civil and navy fleets. Nevertheless, each time approached with such an thought AirTanker officers have instructed there can be no difficulty with such a transfer, and that it simply required the dedication and funding from the MoD to make it occur.
Notably, the present PFI for the Voyager plane is because of expire in 2035, lower than 10 years away, and the official out of service date for the Voyager matches this. By this time, the oldest Voyagers shall be over 20 years outdated and be supreme candidates for alternative. It might, as a substitute of modifications, subsequently be prudent to as a substitute pursue an alteration and/or extension of the contract that covers the procurement of new-build airframes with the flying increase system already put in.
The primary A330 Multi Function Tanker Transport plane “CC330 Husky” for the @RCAF_ARC took to the skies for the very first time at the moment at our Getafe amenities in Spain! ✈️🇨🇦
The whole lot is on observe for supply subsequent yr. ⏳ The RCAF’s A330 MRTT shall be geared up with each… pic.twitter.com/9pT33EhpdG
— Airbus Defence (@AirbusDefence) July 2, 2026
Including increase refueling to the RAF’s capabilities has been some of the talked about ‘small’ enhancements that could possibly be made for a while, each amongst seasoned commentators and fans. In addition to opening up the chance of higher supporting the RAF’s boom-only plane, which at the moment rely totally on U.S. Air Pressure tanker help when required, it could allow larger interoperability with the numerous NATO allies who function boom-only plane just like the F-35A and the F-16.
The prospect of GCAP becoming a member of the ranks of boom-only RAF plane might change into the straw that breaks the camel’s again. The lengthy vary of the P-8, C-17, and E-7, and the shut cooperation of RAF RC-135s with USAF operations, can permit the RAF to argue that natural refueling of those plane is a low precedence, however being unable to refuel what is because of be the RAF’s premier fight plane of the longer term would introduce a important flaw within the service’s potential to undertaking sovereign air energy.
RAF P-8A Poseidon Exams Mid-Air Refueling for the First Time
The RAF notoriously lacks a increase air-to-air refueling functionality to help the Poseidon, and the simulated refueling with a KC-135 indicators steps are being taken to handle the problem.
Story:
— The Aviationist (@TheAviationist) September 25, 2025
Nevertheless long-legged the GCAP fighter shall be, we will see from present operations that fighter missions with out some type of tanker help are virtually unparalleled.
