BILLED [Egypt] Aerial Refueling Training

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AERIAL REFUELING TRAINING Classified Information ​

Operation Background
As part of their standard training, the pilots of the egyptian airforce would practice aerial refueling. Practiced skill: Aerial Refueling

Deployed Forces

1st Fighter Squadron 2nd Fighter Squadron 3rd Fighter Squadron 4th Fighter Squadron 5th Fighter Squadron 6th Fighter Squadron 7th Fighter Squadron 8th Fighter Squadron 9th Fighter Squadron 10th Fighter Squadron 11th Fighter Squadron 12th Fighter Squadron 13th Fighter Squadron 14th Fighter Squadron 15th Fighter Squadron 16th Fighter Squadron 17th Fighter Squadron 18th Fighter Squadron 19th Fighter Squadron 20th Fighter Squadron 21st Fighter Squadron 22nd Fighter Squadron 23rd Fighter Squadron 10th Naval Air Attack Squadron 11th Naval Air Attack Squadron 2nd Attack Squadron 3rd Attack Squadron 6th Attack Squadron 8th Attack Squadron 13th Attack Squadron - 1st Aerial Refueling Squadron - 2nd Aerial Refueling Squadron - 3rd Aerial Refueling Squadron - 4th Aerial Refueling Squadron - 5th Aerial Refueling Squadron

Logistical Details
The exercises would tak eplace on egyptian airspace, on differen flight conditions and altitudes. Theoretical training would also be provided.

 

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The pilots of the involved fighter and attack squadrons would first be subject to few hours of theoretical training on how the aerial refueling procedure had to be tackled. They would be informed on the approach procedure towards the tanker, the different code words and technical language, how to calculate climate factors such as wind-speed and turbulence and also emergency procedures, among other things.

They would be given specific knowledge regarding the aerial refueling details of their aircraft (MiG-29M, Su-30MK and Su-34).

Meanwhile, the aircrews of the Ilyushin Il-78 of the Aerial Refueling Squadrons of the Egyptian Air Force would also undergo technical and theoretical lessons on how to carry out the procedure.

 

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Once the theoretical lessons where over, the pilots would all finally be able to get their hands on real experience. They would be broken down in groups of 4 aircraft, and each assigned a turn.

First each pilot would approach and connect individually to the probe. They would have each 5 attempts to connect, before they had to move over and back to the row, behind the other aircraft of the group. If succesfully connected, they would load for few seconds, before finishing and conducting the disconnection process.

This would be done during daylight and optimal flight conditions at a safe altitude and operational speed.

The pilots of the tanker aircraft would also practica the steady flight required to do the whole process, and the probe operates and tanker crew doncuts theyr assigned routines.

 

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The pilots would continue practicing the approach and docking process, in order to reduce the overall time of the whole operation. They would gain practice and a better sensibility during the critical moment of having to carefully connect to the refueling aircraft.

Once the pilots would have gained such training, they would now begin to practice dual simultaneous refuelings, using the two extendable hoses from the Iluyshin Il-78 refueling aircraft. They woudl approach according to the procedure, dock and exit, leaving space for the next two fighters.

All aircraft would obviously receive the required maintenance between sorties.

The tanker crews would also continue to practice their side of the operations.

 

[Naio90]

Practice flights would continue. All pilots and the flight crews of the aerial reufeling units would practice the whole operation under different circumstances, including day and night conditions, different altitudes and with differen squadron sizes awaiting for their turns.

The pilots would continue reducing the time required to dock and refuel, reducing the overall time to service a whole unit. At the same time, the probe operators would also practice their skills in operating the whole on-board reufeling system, while at the same time, the pilots would get a better notion on their part of the duty.

Each pilot would gain a detailed notion on how their respective aircraft behaved, aerodinamically speaking, during this whole process and learn to mantain a more stable flight.

They would also incorporate the continuous monitoring of their systems, to detect any new potential threat. Emergency disconnections would also be practiced.

 

[Naio90]

The practice flights would continue, always with the objective to give the pilots as much practice as possible to conduct the refueling procedures in the most efficient and quickest way possible.

Both the fighter and attack squadron pilots and tanker crews would achieve a level of practical skill to conduct routine aerial refueling operations suited for real operations, thanks to the routine practice.

They would have practice day and night flights, as well as endured different climate conditions and with different "engagement rules", varying in their squadron size and times to carry out the refueling.

With this final stage complete, all squadrons and aircraft would return to their assigned bases and resume routine operations.

Training complete.