Refueling.

This is coolbert:

Here the comments of an acknowledged aviation expert on the subject of mid-air refueling.

IT IS AS I THOUGHT IT WAS. MORE THAN JUST NUMBERS OF REFUELING TANKER AIRCRAFT AVAILABLE. MORE LIKE THE PERSONNEL BEHIND THE MACHINES RATHER THAN THE TANKERS THEMSELVES.

"Aerial refueling is one of the most important techniques a pilot in USAF/USN can have; and it is perhaps the most important tactic as well. No other country can do with its aviation what the US can do, thanks to air refueling. Yes, dozens of countries do it now, but no one can move an air force from one continent to another to intervene in affairs half way around the world in just hours."

. . . .

"fighter training include[s] heavy emphasis on aerial refueling. Failure to maintain standards and pass all tests, or failure to practice a certain number of refueling "hookups" over a six month period meant the pilot was no longer considered qualified to fly combat. We practiced many missions during the day, in peacetime conditions, then when well trained enough, started night refueling. Eventually, though not a part of a  normal curriculum, we had to fly in all weather, even at night in storms, to refuel . . . [American combat aviators can] fly with a heavy load of ordnance to a target in any weather, knowing we could--and had to--reach a tanker, hookup, and take the vital fuel that we could not finish the mission without, whether to attack the target, or after fighting, to have enough fuel to return to base.

. . . .

"The ability to hookup with planes is not limited for the tanker crews to just fighters, notorious for their 'short legs' in combat operations, but because those same tankers have to be used to fuel heavy bombers (B-52s, and now B-1s and B-2s), not to mention heavy transport planes and the occasional liaison planes ferrying necessary loads, messages, personnel around the world. . . . that means lots of training missions for tanker planes, sometimes meeting up with fighters for one refueling lap, then bombers, then cargo planes, all on the same mission."

"Tanker crews are also trained like bomber crews to stand short alert for immediate takeoff upon receipt of a 'go' signal. They can be airborne in as short a time frame as the BUFFs [bomber B-52] , and are therefore ready for emergencies where any type of plane capable of receiving air refueling can be hooked up. This is a life saver for air crews finding themselves in trouble and needing fuel to get back somewhere."

"Air refueling is truly a 'force multiplier' in every sense of the word."

There you have it. Intensive training, certification, and periodic more training and certification. Not just tankers alone.

AMEN AND THANK YOU ACKNOWLEDGED AVIATION AUTHORITY!

coolbert.