The first air-to-air refuelling from an RAAF KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) to a United States Air Force (USAF) C-17A Globemaster III occurred on February 10 over Edwards Air Force Base in the US.
The five-hour sortie saw 39 contacts between the KC-30A and C-17A aircraft. During these contacts approximately 6,800 kilograms of fuel was transferred to the C-17A via the KC-30A’s Advanced Refuelling Boom System (ARBS).
Group Captain Adam Williams, the Officer Commanding of Number 86 Wing said this is a major achievement for the KC-30A MRTT.
“The successful refuelling with a USAF C-17A paves the way for trials with our own C-17A’s from No 36 Squadron in the near future.”
RAAF C-17A crews will soon begin refuelling trials with the KC-30A, having trained in the role in late 2015 with a Republic of Singapore Air Force KC-135 tanker.
One KC-30A from Number 33 Squadron, RAAF Base Amberley, is currently deployed to the US to conduct these trials. More trials between a KC-30A and a USAF C-17A aircraft are scheduled to occur over the coming days, along with refuelling trials with USAF F-15 and F-16 fighters.
Meanwhile over 200 Royal Australian Air Force personnel, six F/A-18AF Super Hornets, another KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport and C-130J Hercules have arrived at Andersen Air Force Base for Exercise COPE NORTH GUAM 2016.
Commander of the Australian Contingent, Group Captain Glen Braz, said “Exercise Cope North enables RAAF personnel to work closely with our key allies in the region to improve interoperability and effectiveness in a multilateral environment.”
This year participating forces from the US, Japan and Australia will focus on air combat training including a large force employment phase. A parallel multi-lateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief phase will also form an important training element of the exercise.
“This will be the second time the F/A-18F Super Hornets will participate in Cope North and it will be great to have the opportunity to test the aircraft in this kind of scenario,” GPCAPT Braz said.
“I am particularly excited to be working with elements of the Japan Air Self Defence Force. I believe there is a lot we can learn from each other”.
The humanitarian and disaster relief component of the exercise, to operate from 14 to 17 February, will focus on providing support in the aftermath of a simulated earthquake and subsequent tsunami.
“Disaster relief exercises like this are an invaluable opportunity to learn and improve our procedures before we are called on to participate in a real-time natural disaster,” GPCAPT Braz said.
“The Asia-Pacific region in particular is prone to many natural disasters so it’s important to ensure the countries who regularly assist during the disasters can work together in the same way to maximise our disaster assistance and provide relief as soon as possible.”
Countries participating in the humanitarian and disaster relief component include the United States Air Force, United States Navy, RAAF, Japan Air Self Defence Force (JASDF), Philippines Air Force (PAF), Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). The Exercise also includes the International observers from Bangladesh, Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
This is the fifth time the RAAF has participated in Cope North Guam, a bi-annual exercise that started 1978. The exercise will run from the 10-26 February 2016.