Air Refueling Squadron "passes gas" during NE09

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska - An F-22 Raptor receives fuel from a KC-135 flown by pilots from the 168th Air Refueling Squadron stationed at Eielson Air Force Base during an aerial refueling mission June 19.. The mission was part of Exercise Northern Edge 2009, which prepares joint forces to respond to crises in the Asian Pacific region. During the mission, both F-22 and F-15 fighter jets received fuel. (United States Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ryan A. Rholes)

Air Refueling Squadron "passes gas" during NE09

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska - Two F-15s from Nellis Air Force Base's 65th Aggressor Squadron wait their turn to refuel on a KC-135 tanker here June 19. The Aggressors are in Alaska for Exercise Northern Edge 2009, which prepares joint forces to respond to crises in the Asian Pacific region. During the mission, both F-22 and F-15 fighter jets received fuel. (United States Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ryan A. Rholes)

Air Refueling Squadron "passes gas" during NE09

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska - An F-22 raptor approaches a KC-135R Stratotanker during an aerial refueling mission as part of exercise Northern Edge 2009 June 19. The aircraft was one of almost a dozen refuled by a boom operator from the 168th Aerial Refueling Squadron. (United States Air Force photo by Senior Airman Morgan Sneed.)

Air Refueling Squadron "tops off" during NE 09

Published June 23, 2009
By Lance Cpl. Ryan A. Rholes
Northern Edge Joint Information Bureau

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- Air National Guardsmen from the 168th Air Refueling Squadron here conducted a four-hour in-flight refueling mission Friday, June 19, as part of Exercise Northern Edge 2009.
During the mission, Airmen from the 168th honed their aerial refueling skills by topping off F-15 and F-22 fighter jets to keep them in the fight longer.

"It's like these guys are pulling into a full-service flying gas station," said Lt. Col. Tim Trefts, the squadron's wing plans officer. "This gets our fighter pilots deeper into enemy lines and cuts down on the time it takes to get air support to guys on the ground."

As demonstrated by this mission, it is not uncommon for aerial refueling flights to last several hours and for the crew to transfer more than 75 thousand pounds of fuel to almost a dozen aircraft, added Trefts.

Refueling aircraft while in the air is anything but easy. The aircraft receiving fuel moves to within 30 feet of the tanker, and the pilot holds his aircraft steady. A boom operator, laying on his or her stomach in a refueling pod underneath the back of the tanker, uses a joystick to move the tip of the boom into the waiting aircraft's fuel slot. The process takes about seven minutes for each aircraft after the pilot begins approaching the tanker, although that time varies if the boom operator has trouble connecting the boom and if the aircraft needs a larger than average load of fuel.

Exercises like NE09 give the 168th pilots and crew the opportunity to practice performing long-range missions, due to the large amount of available air space in the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex.

The 168th Air Refueling Squadron was founded in 1942 as the 437th Bombardment Squadron and is now a part of the 168th Air Refueling Wing stationed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.

Since first developed by the Army Air Corps in the late 1920's, aerial refueling has provided America's air assets the critical ability to refuel in mid-flight. This allows for on-call air support and allows aircraft to take off with a greater payload. It also keeps air-mobile command posts in the air longer and allows for quicker air evacuations.