In-flight rearming

[Gervasius]

Stumbled on this an f-16.net, Israeli company that has several interesting concepts, among them inflight rearming of a F-16 from a cargo plane.

Far Technologies (has sound)

Diorama anyone? F-16 taking a JDAM from a C-130 in midair? Or a burning smoking wreck of F-16 and C-130 on the ground?

Marko

[upnorth]

Somebody's smoking the good stuff out in Israel!  

[Nigel Bunker]

Sounds like an idea dreamed up at 3.00 am one morning after a heavy night in the pub.

[Runway ? ...]

Here's another article from NewScientist as though the US is developing it ( albeit with a lot less info   )

http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/dn...t-rearming.html

It's got a link to a patent application. I guess it's a response to operating in an environment where everybody is hostile to your presence.

[Spey_Phantom]

i think i already mentioned this a while back  B)

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/forum//index...wtopic=7918&hl=

[Runway ? ...]

Yup! You certainly did   . I blame the media for dragging this old idea back up .

Still a stupid idea though  :dum:  

[Ollie]

Hit Ctrl  + R to rearm in midair.

 

[upnorth]

What next? the F-16 cabriolet?

[Gervasius]

What next? the F-16 cabriolet?

Been there, done that. But with a Turkey.



Marko

[Runway ? ...]

This lass has a proper cabrio !




I suspect It's already been done though.

[Nigel Bunker]

I think I'd rather use something large and make it closer to a "flying aircraft carrier" with "full service" avaiable for rearming and refueling while the air vehicle being taken care of is secured to the large one.

elmayerle, 10th December 2005

Like this?

[Runway ? ...]

Dum, Dum, Dum, dumdumdumdum. Of course that's the only Proper way to do it  

[Madoc]

Folks,

Why is this being assumed to automatically be a stupid / bad idea?

The advantages of being able to rearm / refuel without having to fly all the way back to base are enormous.  I remember the original article citing a drastically increased attacks per flight rate with only a small increase in overall aircraft flight times.

We're already refueling aircraft in flight and that has led to a revolution in air warfare.  Rearming a plane in flight would be a more complex thing but not inherently different than the refueling operation.  And the operational advantages which could be gained by doing so might far outweigh the difficulties and cost.

From my perspective this seems a mighty cool thing and yet another "force multiplier" for the good guys.

Madoc

[Gervasius]

I agree, idea seems perfectly reasonable.

But still, just a good old-fashioned fear of new technologies.

Anyway, I heard that tanking from boom-type tankers (USAF) is like jousting, turbulences are terrible, and this rearming "arm" is just another rigid mounting - so it will pass the turbulence from receiving plane to rearming plane.

But hey, I am just a dumb office rat, maybe someone with better knowledge in engineering can straighten things out.

[B777LR]

How do you re-arm the rearming plane??