The IAF achieved a major feat when an Il-78 refueller aircraft for the first time on Thursday carried out air-to-air refuelling (AAR) of the Embraer transport aircraft on which the indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system Netra designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is mounted.
This operation conducted somewhere in the western sector will now act a force multiplier as the Embraer aircraft can remain in air for long duration without landing to refuel. It means from the present loitering capability of the aircraft of about five hours, which acts as radar in the air and can detect a suspicious aircraft or incoming missile, to more than ten hours after refuelling mid-air. “A mere 10 minute in-flight refuelling can generate additional four hours of flying endurance. The achievement has given a tremendous boost to Indian Air Force’s operational capability,” the IAF said in a statement. Called “eye-in the sky”, the AEW&C are capable of long range surveillance and are huge force multipliers for any force. Elaborating upon the uniqueness of mid-air refueling, officials said this operation on a transport aircraft is more difficult and complex as compared to refuel a fighter jet in air. These jets are smaller in size thereby making it easier for pilot of the jet and the refueller to provide fuel. However, “feeding” a large bodied transport aircraft mid-air is far tougher and need special skills. The “Probe and Drogue” air-to-air refuelling methodology practiced by IAF pilots requires exceptional flying skills as the receiving aircraft has to accurately insert the receptacle probe into the basket shaped drogue trailing behind the fuel tanker aircraft, they said.
Both aircraft have to maintain extremely accurate flying parameters. IAF is one of the few Air Forces in the world to operate mid-air refuellers. IAF currently a fleet of six Russian Il-78 refuellers and has been attempting to procure six more. IAF inducted the Netra in February this year. Three systems are being built and would be based at Bhatinda facing the Western border. Netra gives a 240 degree coverage of airspacek.