Aerial Refueling Operations

Images depict military aircraft performing aerial refueling maneuvers in various operations, showcasing collaboration between air forces with a focus on training and capabilities.

High angle view of a bomber plane in flight, B-2 Spirit, US Air Force
High angle view of a bomber plane in flight, B-2 Spirit, US Air Force
246 assets in this story
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A B-1B Lancer, assigned to 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, takes off from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, to join the Royal Australian Air Force for a Bomber Task Force mission, June 20, 2022. Bomber Task Force missions provide opportunities to train alongside our allies and partners to build interoperability and bolster our collective ability to support a free and open Indo-Pacific.
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AN air-to-air left side view of a seven-ship wedge formation of F-5E Tiger II aircraft from the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing over a desert. The aircraft have different camouflage paint schemes. State: Nevada (NV) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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A Nevada Air National Guard C-130H Hercules aircraft flies over Pyramid Lake, Nevada, during an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Boss Lift, April, 15, 2022. One of the Nevada National Guards strategic priorities is to be engaged and involved with the local communities, and these flights are one of the ways the High Rollers build support from members of the Greater Reno Area.
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Air to air top, front view of two Air Mobility Command's C-141 Starlifters with contrails flying in formation during a training mission. Exact Date Shot Unknown. Country: Unknown
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Major Hunter Hobson, USMC, (right) wing with the Blue Angels and Lieutenant Max McCoy, USN, (left) wing fly their F/A-18 Hornet aircraft's in formation off the wing of a KC-10A after receiving fuel. The Blue Angels, the Navy's premier demonstration team, performed for 325,000 people at the Lakehurst Naval Air Engineering Station, New Jersey, on June 2-3, 2001. The McGuire AFB KC-10A refueled the Blue Angels as they returned to their home base at Pensacola, Florida. Country: United States Of America (USA)
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HL-10 on Lakebed with B-52 Overhead
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A U.S. Air Force HC-130J Combat King II, assigned to the 79th Rescue Squadron, taxis down the flight line at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Oct. 8, 2022. Members with the 355th Wing returned home on two C-130s after an overseas deployment.
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001024-N-9848G-002. Base: Uss George Washington (CVN 73)
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DN-SC-04-09142. Base: San Diego State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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A Nevada Air National Guard C-130H Hercules aircraft flies over Pyramid Lake, Nevada, during an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Boss Lift, April, 15, 2022. One of the Nevada National Guards strategic priorities is to be engaged and involved with the local communities, and these flights are one of the ways the High Rollers build support from members of the Greater Reno Area.
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A C-130J Super Hercules flies over Central Arkansas during a formation flight, June 1, 2022. The formation was led by the 61st Airlift Squadron, which is a flying squadron assigned to world's largest C-130 unit, the 19th Airlift Wing.
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A two ship of B-1B Lancers assigned to the 28th Bomb Squadron, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, release chaff and flares while maneuvering over New Mexico during a training mission on Feb. 24, 2010. Dyess will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first B-1B bomber arriving at the base with the Dyess Big Country Airfest and Open House on May 1, 2010.
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A B-21 Raider is unveiled at Northrop Grummans manufacturing facility on Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, Dec. 2, 2022. The B-21 will be a long-range, highly survivable, penetrating strike stealth bomber capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions.
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Two U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancers assigned to the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, fly in formation during a Bomber Task Force mission over the Pacific Ocean, Nov. 9, 2022. BTF missions provide opportunities to train and work with alongside Allies and partners in joint and coalition operations and exercises.
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An air-to-air front view of a 438th Airlift Wing, C-141 Starlifter flying in the vicinity of McGuire. The C-141, tail #40616 provides long range airlift capability for Air Mobility Command. Exact Date Shot Unknown. Base: Mcguire Air Force Base State: New Jersey (NJ) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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A B-2 Spirit stealth bomber flying away from its atomic bomb blast.
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Three C-130J Super Hercules fly over Central Arkansas during a formation flight, June 1, 2022. The formation was led by the 61st Airlift Squadron, which is a flying squadron assigned to world's largest C-130 unit, the 19th Airlift Wing.
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Tail of a German A400 airlifter with the logo of NATO Exercise Air Defender 2023.
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A B-2 Spirit takes-off during Bamboo Eagle from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. on January 24, 2024. Bamboo Eagle provides Airmen, allies, and partners with a multidimensional, combat-representative battle-space to conduct advanced training in support of U.S. national interests.
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An air-to-air left side view of an AIM-54C Phoenix air-to-air missile seconds after its launch from an F-14A Tomcat aircraft of Fighter Squadron 1 (VF-1). State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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Four 169th Fighter Wing F-16C Falcons, Block 52, aircraft from McEntire Air National Guard Station, South Carolina, participate in a Miniature Air-Launched Decoy (M.A.L.D.) exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The exercise began on July 2nd, 1999. The South Carolina Air National Guard is the only reserve/guard unit to receive this high-profile mission known as Supression of Enemy Air Defenses (S.E.A.D.). Base: Nellis Air Force Base State: Nevada (NV) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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010911-F-6324D-002. Base: Andrews Air Force Base State: Maryland (MD) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC
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An air-to-air rear view of a KC-10 Extender aircraft in use during a tactical large force employment exercise. It is assigned to the 9th Air Refueling Squadron. Country: Unknown
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ATLANTIC OCEAN (June 26, 2018) Navy Lt. William Bowen, left, an F-35 Pax River Integrated Test Force pilot assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23, conducts an advanced aerial refueling control law test in an F-35C Lightning II with an F/A-18, June 26, 2018.
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2 US NAVY A-12 AVENGER II STEALTH ATTACK AIRCRAFT TRIANGLE SHAPE CLOUD CAMOFLAUGE AVIATION
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FA18 Swiss Air Force military jets escort civilian airfields in the Swiss Alps
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AN air-to-air right front view of an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft banking to the left. The aircraft is carrying one AIM-9J Sidewinder missile on each wing tip. Base: Hill Air Force Base State: Utah (UT) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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MAFFS 5, an Air Force Reserve C-130H Hercules assigned to the 302nd Airlift Wing, Colorado Springs, Colo., flies a training route during the 2022 Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems (MAFFS) Spring Training in Boise, Idaho, April 29, 2022. The MAFFS units are training for a U.S. Northern Command mission. In the event of activation during the fire year, First Air Force (AFNORTH), U.S. Northern Command's Air Component Command, is the DoD's operational lead for the aerial military efforts to support USDA Forest Service-National Interagency Fire Center requests for fire suppression support.
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A 71st Special Operations Squadron CV-22 Osprey is refueled by a 522nd Special Operations Squadron MC-130J Combat Shadow II Jan. 4, 2012, over New Mexico. The 71st SOS is located at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., and the 522nd SOS at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. The MC-130J provided in-flight refueling as part of a joint-base partnership.
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A Nevada Air National Guard C-130H Hercules aircraft flies over Pyramid Lake, Nevada, during an Employers Supporting the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Boss Lift, April, 15, 2022. One of the Nevada National Guards strategic priorities is to be engaged and involved with the local communities, and these flights are one of the ways the High Rollers build support from members of the Greater Reno Area.
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DF-ST-89-06337. State: Washington (WA) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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Two U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys assigned to the Aviation Combat Element, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, conduct touch-and-goes during a bilateral exercise in Bardufoss, Norway, April 17, 2022. The 22nd MEU, embarked aboard the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group, is participating in a bilateral training event with the Kingdom of Norways Armed Forces to strengthen U.S. and Norway interoperability, ensuring collective capabilities and steadfast partnerships among NATO allies and partners.
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An A-10C Thunderbolt from the 190th Fighter Squadron flies over the snowy Idaho countryside on a training mission out of Boise, Idaho.
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040707-N-6932B-019. Subject Operation/Series: RIMPAC 2004 Base: Marine Corps Base, Kaneohe State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: P-3C Orion over Kaneohe Field
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A C-130E Hercules aircraft from the 934th Tactical Airlift Group, U.S. Air Force Reserve, flies along the coast while returning to Howard Air Force Base, Panama, during Operation Just Cause. Exact Date Shot Unknown. Subject Operation/Series: JUST CAUSE Country: Panama (PAN)
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US Air Force fighter planes
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U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft from the 130th Airlift Wing, McLaughlin Air National Guard Base, Charleston, West Virginia, A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft from the 124th Fighter Wing, Gowen Field Air National Guard Base, Boise, Idaho, and F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, assigned to the Ohio Air National Guards 180th Fighter Wing, Swanton, Ohio, are parked on the flightline during Agile Rage 22 at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Mich., June 8, 2022. Agile Rage 22 is a National Guard Bureau-led exercise that provides realistic training opportunities, mimicking current and future combat environments dictated by the National Defense Strategy.
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DF-ST-99-04864. Base: Luke Air Force Base State: Arizona (AZ) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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ARABIAN GULF (Aug. 26, 2016) Sailors on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (Ike) participate in the Out of the Darkness Community Walk to increase awareness for suicide prevention. Ike and its Carrier Strike Group are deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.
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AN air-to-air right front view of an EC-130 Hercules aircraft. The aircraft is assigned to the 193rd Tactical Electronic Warfare Group, Pennsylvania Air National Guard. Base: Harrisburg State: Pennsylvania (PA) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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DF-ST-85-02885. Base: Colorado Springs State: Colorado (CO) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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DF-ST-86-08034. Base: Cairo West Country: Egypt (EGY)
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DD-ST-88-09485. Base: Unknown
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A map depicting deployment of Soviet military forces. Country: Unknown