A brand new Probe Refueling Adapter, developed in response to an pressing combatant command requirement, permits the A-10 to considerably broaden its refueling choices as it’s at present depending on the KC-135.
Few days after a photograph circulated on social media, the Air Nationwide Guard Air Pressure Reserve Command Take a look at Middle (AATC) has now supplied extra particulars and images concerning the newest improvement for the A-10C Thunderbolt II. The truth is, the shut air help plane, has now obtained a brand new probe and drogue air refueling functionality.
One of many distinguishing traits of the A-10C is its air refueling receptable on the nostril, simply in entrance of the cockpit, the place the tanker’s operator plugs the flying increase. Nevertheless, because the AATC famous, “with KC-10 tankers retired and KC-46 certification pending, A-10 models remained depending on KC-135 plane for aerial refueling.”
Not AI. Present testing.
Hog on a Droge.
Once they begin touchdown in Carriers, I’m out. pic.twitter.com/17quJjBf4M
— COL (Ret) Jeff in 🇦🇹 (@JeffFisch) April 3, 2026
An pressing combatant command requirement thus emerged to deal with operational availability of aerial refueling in theater, resulting in “a fast multi-organization effort.” Because of this, the A-10 can now refuel from C-130-based tankers, such because the KC-130J Tremendous Hercules, MC-130J Commando II and HC-130J Fight King II.
Speedy Improvement
In keeping with the assertion, AATC was answerable for coordinating the trouble throughout a number of organizations to compress improvement timelines. The probe itself was developed and constructed by an unspecified business accomplice, with the A-10 System Program Workplace offering engineering oversight for plane integration.
Moreover, ARCWERX – the Air Nationwide Guard and Air Pressure Reserve’s innovation hub – enabled fast contract acquisition, and Luke Air Pressure Base fabricated supporting elements to speed up supply. The 418th Flight Take a look at Squadron then supplied a HC-130 and crew for the primary refueling take a look at mission with the brand new probe.
“As soon as the combatant command issued the requirement, the entire normal acquisition processes started instantly, however everybody concerned understood the urgency,” stated Lt. Col. Luke Haywas, A-10 Mixed Take a look at Pressure director. “The SPO, ARCWERX, business companions, and supporting models every introduced crucial experience to the trouble. Nothing was shortcut or compromised from a technical or security standpoint. We simply accelerated each step we might.”
As it may be seen within the images, the adapter suits into the air refueling receptacle on the nostril of the A-10. As soon as put in, this converts the plane from its normal increase refueling configuration to a probe and drogue system.
AATC says the probe adapter is a field-configurable resolution, and thus could be put in by operational flight line personnel “in a matter of hours,” with out having to resort to depot amenities. This permits “plane to be reconfigured between increase and probe refueling functionality primarily based on mission necessities,” explains the assertion.
“This undertaking demonstrates that AATC can function a fast response mechanism when combatant commanders face pressing functionality gaps,” stated Col. Daniel Wittmer, AATC commander. “We maintained relationships with system program workplaces and business companions, and we introduced the take a look at experience wanted to maneuver from idea to fielded functionality in weeks. That’s not a one-time accomplishment. It’s a mannequin for the way the Air Pressure can ship operationally related capabilities to warfighters on the velocity that trendy battle calls for.”
Probe and Drogue & A-10C
As talked about earlier, the testing to clear the A-10 for refueling from the KC-46 Pegasus tanker remains to be in progress, and the Warthog is at present being refueled solely by the KC-135 Stratotanker. This clearly represents an issue, as there could be no redundancy in case a KC-135 couldn’t refuel the A-10, probably forcing to abort the mission.
The difficulties of the testing with the KC-46 have been reportedly associated to the increase, and particularly an actuator contained in the increase which prevents the A-10C to be refueled. In keeping with the stories, the A-10 can’t generate sufficient pressure to remain linked to the increase attributable to its low velocity, so the hydraulic actuator supplies that pressure to maintain the increase rod within the receptacle.
The A-10 is notoriously slower than different fighter jets at present in service with the U.S. Air Pressure. Its most velocity, in accordance with the Air Pressure, is 420 miles per hour (Mach 0.56), or 365 knots at sea degree.
Usually, fighter jets in U.S. service refuel at round 300 knots, whereas the A-10C reportedly refuels at round 200 knots. This clearly forces the KC-46 to fly at a really low velocity will probably being nonetheless at its most weight firstly of a refueling mission.
However, a C-130-based tanker can fly a lot simply at decrease speeds and altitudes. That is additionally talked about by the service within the assertion, saying the C-130’s “airspeeds and altitudes show extra appropriate with A-10 operations” and its “mission units align extra intently with shut air help and fight search and rescue operations.“
Clearly, a C-130 tanker with a flying increase refueling system doesn’t exist, and such an answer would have taken a very long time to develop and take a look at. However, a number of C-130 variants are able to air refueling with the probe and drogue system and they’re already in service.
This made the choice simple, and we would quickly see the brand new Probe Refueling Adapter in new images from operational deployments. Contemplating that the brand new probe in put in on prime of the prevailing air refueling port, it’s doable that the coaching required to pilots, earlier than being cleared to make use of the brand new refueling system, can be brief.
