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Air-To-Air Refuelling Consolidation an Update March 2014 Air-to-Air Refuelling Consolidation An Update Joint Air Power Competence Centre von-Seydlitz-Kaserne Römerstraße 140 | 47546 Kalkar (Germany) | www.japcc.org Joint Air Power Competence Centre JAPCC | Air-to-Air Refuelling Consolidation – An Update | March 2014 1 Cover picture © R. Nicolas-Nelson, Sirpa-Air © This work is copyrighted. No part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission. Inquiries should be made to: The Editor, Joint Air Power Competence Centre (JAPCC), [email protected] Disclaimer The views expressed in this work are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the JAPCC. It does not represent the opinions or policies of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and is designed to provide an independent overview, analysis and food for thought regarding possible ways ahead on this subject. Release This document is approved for public release. Portions of the document may be quoted or reproduced without permission, provided a standard source credit is included. Note: The full analysis of NATO AAR contains information, statistics and calculations that are classified. Classified information applies to Chapter III only and is not in this version. The comprehensive classified version is available on the NATO Secret Network (NSWAN) at http://nww.japcc.nato.int/ JAPCC/JAPCCPubli/otherPubli. Published and distributed by The Joint Air Power Competence Centre von-Seydlitz-Kaserne Römerstraße 140 47546 Kalkar Germany Telephone: +49 2824 90 2201 Facsimile: +49 2824 90 2208 Email: [email protected] Website: www.japcc.org Denotes images digitally manipulated 2 JAPCC | Air-to-Air Refuelling Consolidation – An Update | March 2014 FROM: The Executive Director of the Joint Air Power Competence Centre (JAPCC) SUBJECT: Air-to-Air Refuelling Consolidation – An Update DISTRIBUTION: All NATO Military and Civilian Structures, NATO Nations and Partnership Cooperation Menu (PCM) Nations – Releasable to the Public Time and tide wait for no man, and so the JAPCC has been driven by both time and events to update the Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR) Flight Plan, first published by the JAPCC in February 2011. This updated AAR Consolidation builds upon the JAPCC’s initial assessment of NATO’s AAR capabilities with additional analysis of recent AAR operations over North Africa and the introduction into service of a new generation of Tanker www.japcc.org Transport (TT) platforms. I There can be no doubt as to the current value of AAR and its role in the employment of Air Power; however there remains a significant shortfall in this capability amongst European air forces. Only time will tell whether a new generation of fewer, but more capable, tankers can meet the level of ambition. With declining military resources, the Alliance is firmly focused on improving levels of interoperability in accordance with Smart Defence and the Connected +49 (0) 2824 90 2208 Fax I Forces Initiative, as is the European Union with their concept of Pooling and Sharing. The anticipated end of combat operations in Afghanistan in 2014 will inevitably focus military and political thinking upon future force structures, with air forces being no excep- [email protected] tion. Rather than focusing on force structures, Air Power advocates should aim to articulate an effective framework for developing its capabilities, sustainment, training and exercise to E-Mail: Tel +49 (0) 2824 90 2201 Tel I I support the concepts of force efficiency and force effectiveness Allemagne / +234 or 239 2201 Germany I NCN: Joachim Wundrak Lieutenant General, DEU AF 47546 Kalkar I centre de compétence de la puissance aérienne interarmées de la puissance de compétence centre I Executive Director, JAPCC JOINT AIR POWER COMPETENCE CENTRE Römerstraße 140 I Joint Air Power Competence Centre Competence Power Air Joint von-Seydlitz-Kaserne JAPCC | Air-to-Air Refuelling Consolidation – An Update | March 2014 i TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I Introduction 1.1 Challenges to Future Success ..................................................................................................................................................1 1.2 The Path Ahead ................................................................................................................................................................................2 CHAPTER II AAR in 2015 2.1 The Objective of AAR ....................................................................................................................................................................3 2.2 AAR Resources ..................................................................................................................................................................................4 2.3 Tanker Characteristics ...................................................................................................................................................................4 2.4 AAR Employment Concept .......................................................................................................................................................5 2.5 Basing .....................................................................................................................................................................................................5 2.6 Employment Efficiencies ............................................................................................................................................................5 2.7 The Rise of the Machines ...........................................................................................................................................................6 CHAPTER III Areas of Concern 3.1 NATO Tanker Requirement ........................................................................................................................................................7 3.2 The NATO Inventory ......................................................................................................................................................................8 3.3 Organization ....................................................................................................................................................................................11 3.4 Multinational Initiatives ............................................................................................................................................................11 3.5 The AAR Clearance Process ....................................................................................................................................................12 3.6 Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail ..............................................................................................................................................................13 3.7 Training ..............................................................................................................................................................................................14 ii JAPCC | Air-to-Air Refuelling Consolidation – An Update | March 2014 CHAPTER IV Proposed Solutions 4.1 Addressing the European Shortfall ...................................................................................................................................16 4.2 One Size Fits All? ...........................................................................................................................................................................18 CHAPTER V Recommended Reading 5.1 Strategic Level Doctrine ...........................................................................................................................................................20 5.2 Operational Level Doctrine ....................................................................................................................................................20 5.3 Tactical Level Procedures.........................................................................................................................................................21 CHAPTER VI Recommendations/Conclusions 6.1 List of Recommendations .......................................................................................................................................................22 6.2 Conclusions .....................................................................................................................................................................................22 ANNEX A Acronyms and Abbreviations ......................................................................................................................................................23 JAPCC | Air-to-Air Refuelling Consolidation – An Update | March 2014 iii © Airbus Military© Airbus AAR capability has been proven to be effective in CHAPTER I support of air operations over the former Yugoslavia, Introduction Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and, most recently, Mali. Whether close to home or at extended range in ‘Of all air power force-multipliers, Air-to-Air Refu- support of expeditionary operations, there has been elling (AAR) is amongst the most significant. It an increase in demand for AAR from a greater number provides an essential capability that increases the of receivers. To the Cold War requirement to support range, endurance, payload and flexibility of all strategic reach (Air Transport (AT), long-range strike) capable receiver aircraft, and is especially impor- has been added
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