The RAAF has conducted air-to-air refuelling trials between a KC-30 MRTT tanker transport and one of its own C-17 Globemaster transports for the first time.
The two-hour sortie took place off the Queensland coast in late April and saw the 33 Squadron KC-30’s ARBS boom make “a number” of contacts with the 36 Squadron C-17, a Department of Defence statement released on Thursday says, and follows the successful refuelling trials between a RAAF KC-30 and a US Air Force C-17 earlier this year.
The KC-30’s ongoing boom testing and clearance program is being run by the RAAF’s Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) in cooperation with 33 Squadron.
“Our testing uses a team of ARDU flight test aircrew (test pilots, flight test engineers and flight test system specialists) along with pilots and aerial refuelling operators from the operational squadrons working together on the program,” ARDU commanding officer Wing Commander Daniel Rich said in the statement.
“Our testing program is not just of benefit to the RAAF but, through close cooperation with the United States Air Force flight test system, this clearance activity will also provide a meaningful contribution across allied test and evaluation activities.”
The KC-30 is already cleared to conduct boom refuelling of other KC-30s and the E-7 Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft.
