ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England -- The 100th Air Refueling Wing brought a new capability to the Europe Command’s Area of Responsibility with the first rapid refuel on February 26, 2021.
Similar to hot refueling, also known as hotpitting, rapid refueling reduces time during the procedure, from six to under two hours. During rapid refueling the KC-135’s engines are all shut down which allows the operators to utilize the procedure anywhere; whereas hotpitting may not be available at certain locations during peacetime. This capability further enables the U.S.'s Global Strike and Rapid Global Mobility mission.
“While we found rapid refueling less efficient and reliable than hotpitting, this capability could be a game changer off-station,” said Capt. Hanna Munger, Chief of Wing Tactics, USAF. “This event adds yet another arrow to our quiver as our aircrews and ground crews work together to accelerate change and make history.”