The last KC-767A aircraft has been delivered to the 14th Squadron at Pratica di Mare and is already deployed in the “Unified Protector” operation. The Commander of the Air Squadron, Air Force General Tiziano Tosi, highlighted that “The KC-767A aircraft complements the solutions adopted by the Armed Forces to provide a high degree of mobility to the defense assets, necessary to meet the tasks assumed by the country within the framework of coalitions and international scenarios..”Always General Tosi emphasized that “The line represents an effective strategic solution to ensure rapid and frequent movements of forces over long distances and with significant payloads.“. The KC-767A aircraft is derived from the Boeing 767 fuselage, a widely used aircraft in civil aviation. The Italian version features a unique modification, incorporating three “probe and drogue” refueling points and a rigid “boom” refueling point, which allows refueling for all existing aircraft, whether fighter jets or transport aircraft. The state-of-the-art computerization of the aircraft allows for its operation with only three crew members for logistical transport missions, and four “crew members” for in-flight refueling missions. The “Air-to-Air Refuelling” (AAR) operations are managed by an operator through a highly automated station from which the “receivers” (aircraft that receive fuel) and refueling systems and fuel flows are managed. The aircraft can in turn be refueled by another tanker thanks to the provision of a refueling point on the aircraft’s back near the cockpit, which increases the range and consequently the operational capabilities of the vehicle. The configuration can also be configured as a “capacity multiplier,” as AAR operations bring the aircraft’s air assets to benefit from a significant increase in range and autonomy, as was seen during the recent “Unified Protector” operation. The multi-role capability of the KC-767A, which can even be configured as a mixed configuration of the aircraft for simultaneous flight refueling and logistical transport missions, as well as the potential to operate in humanitarian emergency contexts, constitute a pillar of the projection capability of the national air component, which can thus play a significant role within multinational operations.
