The American general declared the unsuitability of the new tankers "Pegasus"

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KC-46A


The head of the US Air Force Transport Command Stephen Lyons publicly challenged the management’s decision to resign 16 KC-10A Extender and 13 KC-135R Stratotanker in the upcoming fiscal year.



Worth the failure


According to him, the intention to write off these tankers is due to the false hope for a new type of KC-46A Pegasus aircraft, which they are replacing. It is expected that Boeing will cope with the many shortcomings identified in this machine. However, the general does not share this optimism. In his opinion, the Pegasus are not able to take part in real combat operations.

He expressed his views on February 25 at a Senate hearing.

We believe that [these planes] should be preserved

Lyons said, explaining that the decommissioning of the KC-10A and KC-135R creates a "failure in operational potential."

According to him, "Pegasus" in their current configuration are "unsuitable" for real tasks. Therefore, he asked Congress to allocate $ 110 million to support flights of 16 KC-10A and 13 KC-135R. According to him, it is necessary to keep the number of air tankers at around 479 units.


KC-10A


Dangerous rod


According to The War Zone, the new KC-46A tankers are still suffering from a number of critical issues. The largest of them is the failure of the remote monitoring system (RVS). In the traditional layout of air tankers, the boom operator is located at the rear of the aircraft and directs it to the receiving vessel. On the KC-46A, the operator controls the boom from the main cab, guided by a variety of cameras.

However, according to the publication, during testing a number of problems were identified in the work of RVS, including the lack of perception of the depth of the submitted image. This increased the risk of damage to the refueling aircraft by the bar. In 2019, Boeing promised to fix this defect, but no real steps have been taken so far.

It will take years to fully develop and test it [an acceptable solution], and then integrate it on a plane that the Air Force has already received

- notes The War Zone.

As of December 2019, the Air Force has already delivered 30 KC-46A, each of which will require modernization. At the same time, the Pentagon intends to purchase another 15 Pegasus in fiscal year 2021. However, in the conditions of their unpreparedness for full operation, the possibility of using tankers of private companies is vigorously discussed. Moreover, the US Navy has long resorted to their help.

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    1. +7
      25 February 2020 23: 44
      The American general declared the unsuitability of the new tankers "Pegasus"
      Saw Shura, Saw!
      The gold inside is VERY MUCH!
      1. +5
        25 February 2020 23: 57
        What kind of gold is it? Paper cut there yes - the mountains are not measured. But what are they provided with?
        While someone believes in this scam, until then there will be something to cut.
        But, I agree with you ... Saw, Shura! Saw it!
        1. 0
          26 February 2020 00: 51
          Quote: Victor_B
          The gold inside is VERY MUCH!

          Probably somewhere in the Indian cave?
      2. +2
        26 February 2020 00: 11
        Quote: Victor_B
        The American general declared the unsuitability of the new tankers "Pegasus"
        Saw Shura, Saw!
        The gold inside is VERY MUCH!

        If there really are the indicated problems, then honor and praise to the general, even though he is our potential "partner" - being in the service, pointed out the errors and malfunctions in the received equipment. His further career is interesting ...
        Reading the material, I wondered why the USSR-Russian Air Force refueling in the air goes through a flexible hose, and the "partners" through a rigid bar?
        1. +3
          26 February 2020 00: 29
          Quote: Starover_Z
          Why does the USSR-Russian Air Force refuel in the air through a flexible hose, and for the "partners" through a rigid bar?

          And they have BOTH methods.
          Land aviation has a rod, and sailors have a hose. Or vice versa...
          In general, they have a hundred times more refueling experience than ours. Well, maybe not a hundred, but ten, for sure, probably more than ten.
          1. +1
            26 February 2020 13: 00
            It’s right, in the Navy a hose
        2. +1
          26 February 2020 18: 05
          Quote: Starover_Z
          Reading the material, I wondered why the USSR-Russian Air Force refueling in the air goes through a flexible hose, and the "partners" through a rigid bar?

          We have a hose because even a specialized IL-78 in terms of technical specifications had to be converted into a transporter with minimal effort. So there is no boom - tanks in the cargo compartment and three UPAZs.
          Americans use two systems at once.
          At the Air Force, the standard for the tanker is the bar.
          The naval and marines have a hose. There are two reasons. Firstly, a tanker for carrier-based aviation should be made on the basis of a conventional carrier-based vehicle, and ideally, converted directly on board an AB from a conventional drummer (when hitting a long range, it will be hung up with refueling equipment, and when hitting a short range, it will be armed). So no operators, no rods - only PTB and UPAZ. Secondly, naval and marine tankers must also refuel helicopters.
    2. +2
      25 February 2020 23: 52
      heatedly discussing the possibility of using tankers of private companies. Moreover, the US Navy has long resorted to their help.

      happens
    3. +5
      25 February 2020 23: 53
      How they like to adopt unprepared equipment!
    4. +4
      25 February 2020 23: 56
      "So he asked Congress for $ 110 million for"
      This is an American classic.
      You start reading such articles and think how much this time
    5. +3
      26 February 2020 00: 07
      Quote: CAT BAYUN
      What kind of gold is it? Paper cut there yes - the mountains are not measured. But what are they provided with?
      While someone believes in this scam, until then there will be something to cut.
      But, I agree with you ... Saw, Shura! Saw it!

      Paper is not paper, but 476 tankers! It’s all the same silisha that can help in offensive operations. How many long-range air-to-air missiles need to be stored in warehouses to neutralize only this part of the air force of a potential enemy?
      1. 0
        26 February 2020 03: 07
        And how many of these tankers are really ready to carry out the assigned tasks?
        So many rockets will not be needed on them ...
    6. +2
      26 February 2020 00: 23
      On the KC-46A, the operator controls the boom from the main cab, guided by a variety of cameras
      But what can be done there, even if they refuel the tanker unmanned and manage the entire refueling from a single center, at some sort of air base. Now it is fashionable and stylish. You can once again announce the introduction of the latest technology of the 21st century. laughing But here, the very case when no cameras can replace a live operator.
      1. +2
        26 February 2020 01: 46
        As they say in every joke there is a joke share:
        1. +1
          26 February 2020 12: 34
          So it is, but it all works only in "greenhouse" conditions. In the event of countermeasures by electronic warfare, or banal EMP, these unmanned ashtrays simply fall to the ground.
      2. -5
        26 February 2020 02: 11
        "when no cameras can replace the live operator." ////
        ----
        Video cameras are seen ten times better than ANY live operator.
        And zoom, and clarity, and night vision.
        The human eye is a weak device compared to digital video cameras
        with image processing.
        1. +1
          26 February 2020 13: 09
          Quote: voyaka uh
          "when no cameras can replace the live operator." ////
          ----
          Video cameras are seen ten times better than ANY live operator.
          And zoom, and clarity, and night vision.
          The human eye is a weak device compared to digital video cameras
          with image processing.


          Isn’t it easier then to make the gas station fully automated by excluding the operator from the process
          And old planes will have to be written off sooner or later
          1. -2
            26 February 2020 13: 29
            It will be so. One of the first drones in the U.S. Navy will be a tanker drone. Stealth. He will be able to accompany the F-35 to distant targets, refueling them (and not exposing them, like old refuellers).
            1. 0
              26 February 2020 20: 27
              yeah forever amen
        2. 0
          26 February 2020 13: 14
          But still, the video cameras transmit the image to the screen, which the human eye or two is already looking at laughingThe live operator is already present.
          1. -2
            26 February 2020 13: 32
            In this case, yes.
            But, for example, in robot manipulators, images from video cameras are immediately processed by the computer in the form of movement commands. There are no screens, no eyes.
            1. +1
              26 February 2020 13: 41
              So we are discussing a specific model of refueling fuel. And in this case, in my opinion, direct visual control of the bar would be more effective than control via a monitor screen. Besides, it’s cheaper. And what's the point? What would make the operator move less by plane?
              1. -2
                26 February 2020 13: 47
                What is visual? And if refueling - at night? This is out of the question.
                1. 0
                  26 February 2020 14: 39
                  Yes, at night I agree. But again, what is better, a camera-monitor-eye layer or a night-vision device-eye?
                  1. -2
                    26 February 2020 15: 00
                    The tendency is that the eye is superfluous. The system itself is able to figure out when to start refueling and when to finish it. And if an emergency is created, the refueling will be automatically canceled or stopped. Everything - cameras and sensors.
        3. 0
          26 February 2020 18: 19
          Quote: voyaka uh
          Video cameras are seen ten times better than ANY live operator.
          And zoom, and clarity, and night vision.
          The human eye is a weak device compared to digital video cameras
          with image processing.

          Everything would be fine, but human eyes are binocular vision. And the camera is monocular. The video image has no clearly visible depth.
          To accurately aim the boom you need a stereo image.
    7. -2
      26 February 2020 02: 08
      "including there was no perception of the depth of the supplied image." ////
      ----
      And it's all? belay
      Set up camcorders?
      The general has branded ...
      1. +2
        26 February 2020 09: 15
        How not to tune, but damage to the aircraft with a "rigid" boom was and will be ...
        1. 0
          26 February 2020 22: 53
          In addition, a heavy basket at the end of the hose can also not be weakly sip. hi
      2. +1
        26 February 2020 18: 29
        Quote: voyaka uh
        And it's all? belay
        Set up camcorders?
        The general has branded ...

        Setting does not work. The image depth is needed - but the monocular of the camera does not give it. No, you can certainly reduce the depth of field - but then, focusing, we will see either a barbell or an airplane.
        The problem is precisely binocularity and stereo imaging. The eyes provide it. No camera. As long as the distances are great, you can use the camera. But the operator of the refueller counts in decimeters and centimeters. And he needs to accurately determine the distance between this boom and the fuselage from the picture "the boom against the background of the aircraft".
    8. 0
      26 February 2020 06: 43
      Interestingly, and when VO learns to spread a direct translation, and not "from his words ... blablabla." There are online translators, it is enough to take the statements and post their Russian-language translation, and not the "damaged phone"
      1. +1
        26 February 2020 20: 25
        no one bothers you to go to the material and get acquainted with it personally. It's the Internet, isn't it?
    9. 0
      26 February 2020 09: 34
      Boeing has recently been "in stride" on all fronts: in space, in civilian life, and in military service.
      1. 0
        26 February 2020 20: 22
        yeah, especially in a civilian with his max

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