Air Force Aerial Refueling Methods: Flying Boom versus Hose-and-Drogue

RL32910 -- Air Force Aerial Refueling Methods: Flying Boom versus Hose-and-Drogue

Updated June 5, 2006

CONTENTS

Summary

Introduction

Background

Effectiveness of the Current Air Force Fleet

Potential Issues

Footnotes

Summary

Decisions on the composition of the Air Force aerial refueling fleet were made decades ago, when the primary mission was to refuel long-range strategic bombers. Modifications have been made to many of these tanker aircraft (KC-135s and KC-10s) to make them more effective in refueling fighter aircraft. This report, which will be updated, examines the balance between two different refueling methods in today's refueling fleet -- "flying boom" and "hose-and-drogue."