Tanker Rendezvous

INTERCEPT PROCEDURES TEXTBOOK

Tanker Rendezvous:

Frequently, it will be necessary for the fighter to rendezvous on an airborne tanker and take

on fuel to complete a fighter mission. The available tanker may be a professional "gas station"

such as the KC-130, KC-10, or the dreaded KC-135. During Carrier Ops, however, the tanker

may be an organic asset equipped with "buddy" stores such as an S-3. As tanker intercepts often

involve several aircraft that are in close formation, low on fuel, and possibly in IMC conditions,

care should be taken to make the rendezvous direct, quick, and without extreme maneuvering, if

possible. During the Advanced Stage, the student will execute a rendezvous on one of two types

of tanker patterns. These have been generically termed an "Air Force" or a "Navy" tanker

pattern, though either may apply to all services.

Air Force Tanker Pattern: This will be a racetrack pattern with constant-heading legs and

20 degree AOB turns. Leg lengths will normally be 10 nm long using a geographical point as a

reference (i.e. TACAN, LAT/LONG, etc.), although timed 2 minute legs are possible.

Navy Tanker Pattern: This will normally be a constant 20 degree AOB turn orbit

simulating a tanker holding above the carrier. The diameter of this orbit is 5-7 nm and the

fighter should rendezvous by entering the orbit's boundary and joining from the inside of the

circle, if possible. Once inside the orbit, the fighter will use "lead" geometry to close on the

tanker.

The goal for either pattern is to rendezvous 1 nm (or less) in trail of the tanker and then

maneuver to either a starboard or port observation point abeam the tanker at close range. Some

considerations for a tanker rendezvous are listed below:

1. Rarely will the intercept proceed like a "normal" bogey intercept, as the tanker will often

be turning in front of the fighter.

2. The fighter, after receiving the tanker's track information, should mentally or physically

draw the spatial relationship between the fighter and the tanker's pattern.

3. At long range (outside 20 nm), the fighter can simply keep the tanker on or near the nose

as the tanker pattern is anchored in space.

4. The fighter must predict where, in the pattern, the rendezvous will take place, as

this will dictate how to proceed with the intercept.

5. At around 15 nm, with the spatial picture known, the fighter may need to maneuver on an

"Air Force" tanker to conduct the intercept outside of the racetrack.

6. No later than 10 nm, the fighter should have a refined prediction of the rendezvous' locale

and should ensure the radar information is confirming the predicted intercept geometry.

7. The fighter may find the intercept geometry would be greatly simplified if the tanker

would turn earlier or later than the established track. The fighter is certainly allowed to ask the

tanker for an early turn, for example, and the request will sometimes be granted.

8. Fighter communication with the tanker varies between services and even between

tankers. Navy tanker runs will be comm-out. A common frequency will be monitored, but

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