Air Refueling Operations

Images depicting military aircraft refueling in flight, showcasing high-tech fighter jets and transport planes against blue skies, emphasizing aerial operations and military readiness.

London, united kingdom may 1974, vintage biplanes and transport aircraft executing daring aerial maneuvers during dynamic 1970s airshow performance

010810-F-7910D-032. Base: Buckley Air Force Base State: Colorado (CO) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: AIR COMBAT COMMAND

A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft assigned to the 421st Fighter Squadron, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, receives fuel from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft assigned to the 506th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, over the Pacific Ocean, after conducting Agile Combat Employment (ACE) rehearsals, June 30, 2022. ACE shifts operations from centralized physical infrastructures to a network of smaller, dispersed locations that can complicate adversary planning and provide more options for joint force commanders.

U.S. Air Force 169th Maintenance Squadron structural maintainers tape and prepare an F104-C Starfighter for painting during a restoration project at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, July 28, 2022.

Night vision, helicopter and military inspection for government surveillance for army. Plane, battlefield and air transportation with mission and airplane with green lighting with soldier search

3D rendering of a world war two german dive bomber diving. 3D rendering of a world war two german dive bomber in flight diving Copyright: xZoonar.com/HugoxKurkx 14930891

A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, lifts a load of tires at Kin Blue, Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Aug. 25, 2022. The purpose of the training was to increase Helicopter Support Team proficiency and to practice expeditionary advanced base concepts in preparation for future operations.

DF-ST-87-09792. Subject Operation/Series: TEAM SPIRIT Base: Osan Air Base Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

A South Carolina Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift cargo helicopter assigned to Detachment 1, Company B, 2-238th General Support Aviation Battalion and crew based in Greenville, South Carolina support the South Carolina Forestry Commission to contain a remote fire near the top of Pinnacle Mountain in Pickens County, South Carolina, Nov. 17, 2016. The aircraft is equipped with a Bambi Bucket, which can be filled with any available water to be transported and dumped on the fire.

View from the boom operator's position on a KC-10 Extedner. A B-2 refuels from a KC-10 after completing a mission in support of NATO Operation Allied Force. This image was shot through a Starlight System. Subject Operation/Series: ALLIED FORCE Country: Unknown

A B-52 Stratofortress, from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., flies near the North Pole, July 31, 2016, during Polar Roar, a strategic deterrence exercise. The rapid global mobility and air refueling capabilities of Air Mobility Command and the 305th Air Mobility Wing ensured the B-52s were able to complete their mission.

010620-M-8337G-004. Base: Naval Air Station, Miramar State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A C-130 from the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station launches flares over Lake Ontario during a training exercise August 10, 2011, Niagara Falls, NY. Flares can be launched from an aircraft as a defensive measure against hostile forces.

A view of satellite communications and other antennas atop the island of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71). Base: USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)

030328-F-1732R-001. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Country: Iraq (IRQ)

T-6 Texans fly above Randolopf AFB, Texas, during training.

U Boot of the Federal Navy U-11 in Burgstaaken on Fehmarn u Boot of the Federal Navy U-11 in Burgstaaken on Fehmarn

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (April 10, 2014) The unmanned X-47B conducts its first night flight April 10 over Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. Night flights are the next incremental step in developing the operations concept for more routine flight activity. The Navy will continue to execute X-47B test events to mature standard operating procedures for cooperative use of the airspace with manned aircraft.

A 3D conceptual image depicting the conflict that took place in the WW2 skies over Nazi occupied Europe, between American B-17 Flying Fortress bombers & German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter planes

DN-SC-87-06353. Base: USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69) Country: Mediterranean Sea (MED)

DF-ST-84-03516. Base: Nato Air Base, Geilenkirchen Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

An air-to-air right side view of an Attack Squadron 46 (VA-46) A-7E Corsair II aircraft. Country: Unknown

A C-17 Globemaster III assigned to Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, flies over the Gandy Bridge in Tampa, Florida behind a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing during Operation Centennial Contact, June 27, 2023. During the operation, more than 150 aircraft flew above communities around the country and across the world to honor 100 years of air refueling excellence. With 100 years of experience, the U.S. Air Forces air refueling capabilities deliver unrivaled rapid global reach and meaningful maneuver for the Joint Force and our Allies and partners. Aerial refueling serves as a force multiplier, increasing the speed, range, lethality, flexibility and versatility of combat aircraft. Tankers also carry cargo and passengers, perform aeromedical evacuations, and enable strategic deterrence for the United States.

Consolidated B-24'S Of The 8Th Air Force Wing Across The North Sea.

A close-up view of two AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles mounted beneath the wing of an F-4E Phantom II aircraft. Base: Osan Air Base Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

DF-SC-86-04900. Country: Unknown

An A-10A Thunderbolt aircraft from the 343rd Tactical Fighter Wing banks into a dive over its target during the joint readiness exercise Arctic Warrior '91. Subject Operation/Series: ARCTIC WARRIOR '91 Country: United States Of America(USA)

Pacific Ocean, March 8, 2006 - A Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) is launched from the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG-70) during a Missile Defense Agency, and Japan Defense Agency cooperative flight test mission. The test entitled Joint Control Test Vehicle-1 (JCTV-1), demonstrated the performance of the SM-3 missile modified with the Japan-designed advanced nosecone and Aegis BMD Weapon System.

An air-to-air view of the Advanced Aerial Refueling Boom nozzle on a KC-135A Stratotanker aircraft. Country: Unknown

A view of the artwork painted on the nose of a 410th Bombardment Wing B-52H Stratofortress aircraft. Base: K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base State: Michigan (MI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Ground-to-air rear view of a C-141B Starlifter aircraft preparing for an airdrop during Operation Deep Freeze. Subject Operation/Series: DEEP FREEZE Country: Antarctica (ATA)

The 65th Aggressor Squadron commander, Lt. Col. Brandon Nauta, and Lt. Col. Michael Albrecht, fly in a two-ship F-35A Lightning II formation from Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, June 9, 2022. The F-35As were on their way to the Nevada Test and Training Range to participate in their inaugural training mission against F-15E Strike Eagles. The 65 AGRS was previously active at Nellis from 2005 to 2014. During that time, the unit replicated tactics and techniques of potential adversaries with a fleet of F-15 Eagles.

Artwork: "A Little Help From Above". Artist: SGT. Adam Glenday, Catalog Number: 10.11.90. Country: Unknown

(March 20, 2011) ABOARD USS KEARSARGE, at sea - A Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron, 26th Marine Expeditionary Units AV-8B Harrier jump jet returns to USS Kearsarge for fuel and ammunition resupply while conducting air strikes in support of Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn, March 20, 2011. Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn is the U.S. Africa Command task force established to provide operational and tactical command and control of U.S. military forces supporting the international response to the unrest in Libya and enforcement of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1973. UNSCR 1973 authorizes all necessary measures to protect civilians in Libya under threat of attack by Qadhafi regime forces. JTF Odyssey Dawn is commanded by U.S. Navy Admiral Samuel J. Locklear, III.

Naval ships - Ballistic missile submarine. Color illustration

6-tube rocket launcher on a military helicopter, Saigon, Vietnam

DN-ST-86-06149. Base: USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67)

A view of, from top to bottom, an AGM-88 HARM high-speed anti-radiation missile, an AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missile and an AGM-65 Maverick television-guided missile. Base: George Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

030321-F-8290C-015. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Country: Unknown

Naval ships - Chinese Han class attack submarine. Color illustration

Silhouette with a British fighter plane from the Second World War 2D illustration with the silhouette of a British fighter plane from the Second World War

A pair of Royal Air Force Supermarine Spitfires giving chase to a UFO. Such objects were known by aircrews as foo fighters.

A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft assigned to the 421st Fighter Squadron, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, receives fuel from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft assigned to the 506th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, over the Pacific Ocean, after conducting Agile Combat Employment (ACE) rehearsals, June 30, 2022. ACE shifts operations from centralized physical infrastructures to a network of smaller, dispersed locations that can complicate adversary planning and provide more options for joint force commanders.

Military aircraft Hangar Military Aircraft Hangar

A Royal Air Force Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft giving chase to a UFO.

Polynesian natives wearing traditional clothes on a South Pacific island wave to an Air Force C-130 Hercules flying overhead. Exact Date Shot Unknown. Country: Unknown

A Firebee drone leaves its launch pad during the air-to-air combat training exercise William Tell '82. The drone will serve as a target for aircraft participating in the exercise. Subject Operation/Series: WILLIAM TELL '82 Base: Tyndall Air Force Base State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

ROGUE ONE (2016), directed by GARETH EDWARDS.

A V-22A Osprey aircraft is silhouetted against the morning sky as it approaches the amphibious assault ship USS WASP (LHD-1) during shipboard compatibility trials. Country: Atlantic Ocean (AOC)

011129-F-1279W-025. Subject Operation/Series: NOBLE EAGLE Base: Cape Kennedy State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

DF-SC-89-11188. Base: Unknown

USA Air Force Insignia USA Air Force Insignia Close-Up Copyright: xZoonar.com/KristinaxAfanasyevax 1746740

PACIFIC OCEAN (July 25, 2022) U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey perform deck landing maneuverers aboard Royal Australian Navy Canberra-class landing helicopter dock HMAS Canberra (L02) during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, three submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (Photo by Royal Australian Navy Petty Officer Christopher Szumlanski)

Epopeyas de la guerra civil española (1936-1939). El aparato de la aviación republicana "la Gloriosa" batiendo la aviación fascista. Cromo editado por Almacenes Alemanes en Octubre de 1937.

Scorpion Robot

030916-F-1663P-003. Base: Dover Air Force Base State: Delaware (DE) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

Special forces launch surface-to-air missiles during a training mission June 11, 2014, on Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Members completed various training assignments, including reconnaissance scenarios and coordinating air strikes.

A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing dawns the wings new heritage colors at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, July 12, 2022. The 80 painted on the tail represents 80 years of U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and the Statue of Liberty stands for the 70 years of RAF Lakenheath.

An F-104C Starfighter static display undergoes restoration at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South Carolina, July 15, 2022. U.S. Air Force maintainers from the 169th Maintenance Squadron's Aircraft Structural Maintenance shop, sand and make metal repairs before adding new paint and decals.

A view of artwork entitled "Sweet Sixteen" on the nose of a B-1B Lancer aircraft. Country: Unknown

Artwork: "Tomorrow's Air Force - Systems Command" Artist: Attila Hejja, USAF Art Collection. Country: Unknown

140910-N-UT312-001WASHINGTON (Sept. 11, 2014) An informational graphic depicting the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system.

An F-104C Starfighter static display undergoes restoration at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South Carolina, July 15, 2022. U.S. Air Force maintainers from the 169th Maintenance Squadron's Aircraft Structural Maintenance shop, sand and make metal repairs before adding new paint and decals.

A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft assigned to the 356th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron sits on the flight line at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, in the early hours of June 10, 2022. During an agile combat employment training event at Iwakuni, Airmen assigned to the 354th Air Expeditionary Wing worked in shifts 24/7 to ensure jets were ready to go at a moments notice.

Soviet strategic surface-to-air missiles. Country: Unknown

DF-ST-90-01600. Base: Berlin Country: West Germany (FRG)

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