The EC-725 ‘Super-Cougar’ (Caracal) aircraft of the French Air Force carried out training activities with the aircraft of the 46th Air Brigade of Pisa. The activity, the result of a bilateral Italian-French agreement, aims to maintain a high operational capability for both assets as well as to increase the degree of interoperability between aircraft from different NATO countries.
The ability to refuel rotary-wing aircraft is added to similar features that the KC-130J is able to provide with the airlifters that are currently in service with the Armed Forces (Eurofighter, Tornado, AM-X and MB-339CD). In fact, the KC-130J of the Italian Air Force is the only aircraft in the European landscape capable of refueling both “fixed wing” (fixed wing aircraft) and “rotary wings” (rotary wing aircraft) aircraft.
Unlike refueling for jets, this type of mission requires the tankers to adapt to the flight characteristics typical of helicopters, namely operating at medium-low speeds and altitudes. The tanker capabilities of the C-130J aircraft are achieved by mounting special wing pods and related baskets. The aircraft can also carry out refueling missions at night, with night vision goggles (NVG), and is equipped with self-protection systems.
During the training period, 7 sorties were carried out, each lasting approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, during which the French helicopter was refueled for a total of 21,000 pounds of fuel. The missions included a series of “rendez-vous” between the two assets with “dry contact” and “wet contact”: the former are hook-ups carried out for training purposes only without refueling, while the latter involve the actual refueling.
The cooperation with aircraft and crews of foreign Armed Forces complements the wide range of missions carried out by the 46th Air Brigade, such as operational activities outside national borders, emergency medical transport, air medical evacuation, the transport of materials, personnel and equipment worldwide, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
