In the U.S. Air Force (USAF), a boom operator is an aircrew member aboard tanker aircraft who is responsible for safely and effectively transferring aviation fuel from one military aircraft to another during flight (known as aerial refueling, air refueling, in-flight refueling, air-to-air refueling, and tanking). The name boom operator implies that one "operates a boom" (the flying boom), which is a long, extendable metal arm attached to the rear underside of the tanker that the boom operator connects to the fuel receptacle of a receiving aircraft (the receiver). The boom operator also controls the refueling drogue, a basket attached to a flexible hose that trails the tanker, when using the probe-and-drogue system.[1][9][10][11] The USAF officially designates the boom operator career field as "In-Flight Refueling" with a specialty code of 1A0X1. However, this designation is usually reserved for administrative paperwork such as enlistment contracts and performance reports, as boom operators themselves are rarely referred to as in-flight refueling specialists within the USAF. The title "Boom Operator" is most commonly used, in reference to the aircrew position they occupy on the airplane, as noted in USAF regulations and aircraft flight manuals.[3][12][13] Fellow crew members affectionately address them as "boom" or "boomer"[4][7] (though the use of the term "boom" in this article refers to the flying boom, not the boom operator).
The boom operator crew position was created in 1948 when Boeing developed the flying boom at the request of the USAF. Prior to this, when the only practical means of transferring fuel was through a hose, other crew members fulfilled the duty of operating the air refueling equipment, such as the hose reel operator in the DH-4B and C-1 and the line operator in the B-24D and KB-29M using the grappled-line looped hose system.[1][9] In the modern U.S. military, the boom operator crew position only exists in USAF tankers equipped with a flying boom, such as the KC-135, KC-10, and the newly developed KC-46. For tanker aircraft not equipped with a flying boom, such as the KC-130, HC-130, and F/A-18E/F, the specific crew member(s) responsible for operating the air refueling equipment and supervising refueling operations varies by aircraft. Boom-equipped tankers have been obtained by several foreign countries as a result of USAF tanker procurement programs and U.S. foreign military sales. An estimated 63 boom-equipped tankers (KC-135,[14][15][16] KC-10,[17]A330 MRTT,[18][19]KC-767,[20][21][22][23] and KC-33[24]) are operated by 14 foreign countries; in comparison, the USAF operates 457 KC-135 and KC-10 tankers.[10][11][25][26]
A boom operator must have a high school diploma or GED with 15 college credits. They must have normal depth perception, cannot be shorter than 64 inches (160 cm) or taller than 77 inches (200 cm), must complete a Single Scope Background Investigation, and complete seven and a half weeks of basic military training, and Airmen's week, and must be between the age of 17 and 39.[13]
Training
All boom operators first receive a month of training in flying tankers at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. After this they spend three weeks in survival training. The boom operators of Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers are trained at Altus Air Force Base for four months.[27]
Equipment
Boom operators are used in McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extenders and Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers.[4] The Boeing KC-46 Pegasus is currently being deployed for use in refueling.[28] The KC-10 station is in a rear-facing seat while the KC-135 is in a prone position. The KC-46 seats two operators in the front of the aircraft with 3D viewing screens fed by cameras. The future training program for the KC-46 for a boom operator is to be 59 days long, and the training time for a pilot is to be 82 days long.[29]
Aircraft
This section needs to be updated. The reason given is: KC-46 is now in service. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(May 2022)
This section refers to operational tankers manned by USAF boom operators since the development of the flying boom in 1948. For a complete list of U.S. military tankers, see List of United States military aerial refueling aircraft.
First multiple refueling system tanker and first receiver-capable tanker.
Developed to supplement KC-135 tankers to help meet the global commitments of the U.S. military, including air refueling and airlift.[1]
60 built between 1979 and 1987; 59 in service as of May 2014, all in active duty squadrons (though the use of some are shared with 5 associate Air Force Reserve squadrons).[26]
Developed for use by SAC to refuel strategic bombers.
The KB-29M, introduced in 1948, initially utilized the British grappled-line looped hose system and converted to the British probe-and-drogue system in 1950.
The KB-29P, introduced in 1950, was the first tanker to be equipped with the flying boom. The boom was developed by Boeing in 1948 and had undergone flight tests for two years.
208 B-29s were converted to KB-29s (92 KB-29Ms and 116 KB-29Ps) between 1948 and 1951.[1]
^ abcdefghiSmith, Richard K. (1998). Seventy-Five Years of Inflight Refueling: Highlights, 1923-1998. Washington, D.C.: Air Force History and Museums Program. ISBN0160497795.
^Gentry, SMSgt M.A. "The History of Air Refueling" (PDF). Air University. Air Force Enlisted Heritage Research Institute. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
^ abcDepartment of The Air Force. "AFSC 1A0X1 In-Flight Refueling Career Field Education And Training Plan (CFETP)" (PDF). e-publishing.af.mil. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
^ abcdRogoway, Tyler (20 May 2014). "Confessions Of A USAF KC-135 'Flying Gas Station' Boom Operator". Foxtrot Alpha. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
^Kristensen, Hans M. (15 March 2006), Global Strike: A Chronology of the Pentagon's New Offensive Strike Plan(PDF), Federation of American Scientists
^"1A0X1 – IN-FLIGHT REFUELING". foreverwingman.com. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
^ abRichardson, Airman 1st Class Mackenzie. "KC-135 Stratotanker tour [Image 3 of 5]". Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS). USAF. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
^"N.K.A.W.T.G – NOBODY KICKS ASS WITHOUT TANKER GAS". Fly Mag. Scandinavian Aviation Magazine. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
^ abMay, Mike. "Gas Stations In The Sky". inventionandtech.com. Invention & Technology. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
^ abPiesing, Mark. "The Aerial Tankers That Helped Shrink the Globe". BBC. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
^ abDay, Dwayne A. "Aerial Refueling". centennialofflight.net. U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
^Powers, Rod. "1A0X1 - In-Flight Refueling - Air Force Job Description". The Balance. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
^ abU.S. Air Force. "U.S. Air Force - Career Detail - In-flight Refueling". www.airforce.com. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
^"Llegó el 1er KC-135E para la FACh - ModoCharlie". modocharlie.com. 16 February 2010. from the original on 24 March 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
^Boeing: Boeing Delivers First KC-135R to Singapore Air Force 14 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
^. AFP. Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
^"Evaluatie project KDC-10". Ministerie van Defensie (in Dutch). 1 July 1999. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
^(PDF). Airbus S.A.S. 30 November 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
^"MMF Background Paper - Flashback: From acknowledging Europe's Air-to-Air Refuelling gap to today's MFF signing" (PDF). Airbus Defence & Space. July 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
^Sanchez, Felix and Marcello Bruni. "Boeing KC-767 Tankers for Italian Air Force Formally Enter into Service." Boeing, 17 May 2011.
^Boeing (January 5, 2012), Boeing Reports Fourth-Quarter Deliveries, Boeing
^"Boeing Delivers 4th KC-767 Tanker to Japan Ministry of Defense". Boeing, 12 January 2010.
^"Brazil to add third converted 767 tanker". Flight International. 27 May 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
^Air Power Australia Analysis APA-2005-02, April 16, 2005. Retrieved: December 17, 2007.
^ ab(PDF). Air Force Magazine. May 2017. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2018-04-26. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
^ ab"KC-10 Extender". U.S. Air Force. USAF. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
^"What it takes to be a boom operator". U.S. Air Force. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
^"412th Test Wing". www.aerotechnews.com. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
^"KC-46 Flight Simulators To Enable Pilots, Boom Operators To Train Together". Defense News. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
^Pawlyk, Oriana (8 March 2018). "KC-46 Tanker Delivery Will Be Delayed, Air Force Confirms". Military.com. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
^ ab"KC-46 TANKER MODERNIZATION" (PDF). U.S. Government Accountability Office. U.S. Government Accountability Office. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
^"Boeing Receives US Air Force Contract to Build Next-Generation Refueling Tanker". Boeing MediaRoom. Boeing. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
May 04, 2023
boom, operator, military, force, usaf, boom, operator, aircrew, member, aboard, tanker, aircraft, responsible, safely, effectively, transferring, aviation, fuel, from, military, aircraft, another, during, flight, known, aerial, refueling, refueling, flight, re. In the U S Air Force USAF a boom operator is an aircrew member aboard tanker aircraft who is responsible for safely and effectively transferring aviation fuel from one military aircraft to another during flight known as aerial refueling air refueling in flight refueling air to air refueling and tanking The name boom operator implies that one operates a boom the flying boom which is a long extendable metal arm attached to the rear underside of the tanker that the boom operator connects to the fuel receptacle of a receiving aircraft the receiver The boom operator also controls the refueling drogue a basket attached to a flexible hose that trails the tanker when using the probe and drogue system 1 9 10 11 The USAF officially designates the boom operator career field as In Flight Refueling with a specialty code of 1A0X1 However this designation is usually reserved for administrative paperwork such as enlistment contracts and performance reports as boom operators themselves are rarely referred to as in flight refueling specialists within the USAF The title Boom Operator is most commonly used in reference to the aircrew position they occupy on the airplane as noted in USAF regulations and aircraft flight manuals 3 12 13 Fellow crew members affectionately address them as boom or boomer 4 7 though the use of the term boom in this article refers to the flying boom not the boom operator USAF Boom OperatorEnlisted Aircrew BadgeActiveSeptember 16 1948 1 2 present 74 years 7 months Country United States of AmericaBranch United States Air ForceTypeIn flight refueling specialist 3 RoleAerial refueling U S amp allies Airlift cargo amp personnel Special operationsNuclear operations 1 3 4 5 Size765 90 male 10 female 6 Garrison HQList of Air Refueling SquadronsNickname s Boom Boomer 4 7 Motto s Nobody Kicks ASS Without Tanker Gas NKAWTG 8 EngagementsKorean WarVietnam WarGulf WarIraqi no fly zonesBosnian WarKosovo WarWar on Terror War in Afghanistan Iraq War Military intervention in Libya Northern Mali conflict Military intervention against ISIL A USAF KC 135 boom operator refuels a USAF F 16 during a mission over Iraq A USAF KC 10 boom operator refuels a Dutch F 16 during a mission over Afghanistan The boom operator crew position was created in 1948 when Boeing developed the flying boom at the request of the USAF Prior to this when the only practical means of transferring fuel was through a hose other crew members fulfilled the duty of operating the air refueling equipment such as the hose reel operator in the DH 4B and C 1 and the line operator in the B 24D and KB 29M using the grappled line looped hose system 1 9 In the modern U S military the boom operator crew position only exists in USAF tankers equipped with a flying boom such as the KC 135 KC 10 and the newly developed KC 46 For tanker aircraft not equipped with a flying boom such as the KC 130 HC 130 and F A 18E F the specific crew member s responsible for operating the air refueling equipment and supervising refueling operations varies by aircraft Boom equipped tankers have been obtained by several foreign countries as a result of USAF tanker procurement programs and U S foreign military sales An estimated 63 boom equipped tankers KC 135 14 15 16 KC 10 17 A330 MRTT 18 19 KC 767 20 21 22 23 and KC 33 24 are operated by 14 foreign countries in comparison the USAF operates 457 KC 135 and KC 10 tankers 10 11 25 26 Contents 1 Requirements 2 Training 3 Equipment 4 Aircraft 4 1 In Service 4 2 Under Development 4 3 Retired 5 Gallery 6 See also 7 ReferencesRequirements EditA boom operator must have a high school diploma or GED with 15 college credits They must have normal depth perception cannot be shorter than 64 inches 160 cm or taller than 77 inches 200 cm must complete a Single Scope Background Investigation and complete seven and a half weeks of basic military training and Airmen s week and must be between the age of 17 and 39 13 Training EditAll boom operators first receive a month of training in flying tankers at Joint Base San Antonio Texas After this they spend three weeks in survival training The boom operators of Boeing KC 135 Stratotankers are trained at Altus Air Force Base for four months 27 Equipment EditBoom operators are used in McDonnell Douglas KC 10 Extenders and Boeing KC 135 Stratotankers 4 The Boeing KC 46 Pegasus is currently being deployed for use in refueling 28 The KC 10 station is in a rear facing seat while the KC 135 is in a prone position The KC 46 seats two operators in the front of the aircraft with 3D viewing screens fed by cameras The future training program for the KC 46 for a boom operator is to be 59 days long and the training time for a pilot is to be 82 days long 29 Aircraft EditThis section needs to be updated The reason given is KC 46 is now in service Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information May 2022 This section refers to operational tankers manned by USAF boom operators since the development of the flying boom in 1948 For a complete list of U S military tankers see List of United States military aerial refueling aircraft In Service Edit Image Tanker Operational Attributes A KC 135 refuels a flight of F 16 Fighting Falcons over the Baltics Boeing KC 135 Stratotanker 1957 present First jet powered refueling tanker Equipped with the flying boom Initially developed for use by Strategic Air Command SAC to refuel long range jet powered strategic bombers specifically the Boeing B 52 Stratofortress Development of the attachable boom drogue adapter in 1959 made it possible to refuel probe equipped airplanes while losing boom refueling capability Role was expanded extensively during the Vietnam War to refuel tactical fighter aircraft in addition to bombers After the war role expanded further to refuel nearly all types of U S and allied airplanes Since the 1990s 20 have been converted to multiple refueling system tankers flying boom and probe and drogue systems and 8 have been converted to receiver capable tankers able to be refueled as the receiver aircraft 1 803 built between 1955 and 1965 398 in service as of May 2017 156 in active duty squadrons 70 in Air Force Reserve squadrons and 172 in Air National Guard squadrons 25 A KC 10 refuels two F 16s and an F 15 Eagle McDonnell Douglas KC 10 Extender 1981 present First multiple refueling system tanker and first receiver capable tanker Developed to supplement KC 135 tankers to help meet the global commitments of the U S military including air refueling and airlift 1 60 built between 1979 and 1987 59 in service as of May 2014 all in active duty squadrons though the use of some are shared with 5 associate Air Force Reserve squadrons 26 Under Development Edit Image Tanker Operational Attributes A KC 46 refuels a C 17 Globemaster during a test flight Boeing KC 46 Pegasus Production began in 2013 First test flight in 2015 Project has suffered numerous delays setbacks and cost overruns at Boeing s expense Initial August 2017 deadline for delivery of first 18 tankers has now been delayed to late 2018 30 31 Multiple refueling system tanker Receiver capable tanker First tanker with infrared countermeasures and electronic warfare capabilities Developed to replace aging fleet of KC 135 tankers USAF plans to purchase 179 tankers by 2028 31 32 Retired Edit Image Tanker Operational Attributes A KB 29P refuels a B 45 Tornado Boeing KB 29 Superfortress 1948 1957 First operational refueling tanker Converted from B 29 Superfortress bombers The B 29 tail gunner s turret was converted into the boom operator s station boom pod Developed for use by SAC to refuel strategic bombers The KB 29M introduced in 1948 initially utilized the British grappled line looped hose system and converted to the British probe and drogue system in 1950 The KB 29P introduced in 1950 was the first tanker to be equipped with the flying boom The boom was developed by Boeing in 1948 and had undergone flight tests for two years 208 B 29s were converted to KB 29s 92 KB 29Ms and 116 KB 29Ps between 1948 and 1951 1 A KB 50 refuels a flight of F 100 Super Sabres Boeing KB 50 Superfortress 1956 1965 Converted from B 50 Superfortress bombers The B 50 was a variant of the B 29 Developed for use by Tactical Air Command TAC to replace KB 29Ms to refuel tactical jet fighters using the probe and drogue system Though the KB 50 was not equipped with the flying boom boom operators were used to operate the probe and drogue system 136 B 50s were converted to KB 50s 112 KB 50Js and 24 KB 50Ks in the mid to late 1950s 1 A KC 97 refuels a B 47 Stratojet Boeing KC 97 Stratofreighter 1951 1978 First purpose built refueling tanker previous tankers were converted from other airframes Equipped with the flying boom Developed for use by SAC as a faster alternative to KB 29Ps to refuel strategic bombers 811 built between 1951 and 1956 1 Gallery Edit The boom pod in a USAF KC 135 The boom operator lies in a prone position while refueling The boom pod in a USAF KC 10 The boom operator is seated while refueling A boom operator in a USAF KC 135 conducts a preflight inspection in the boom pod prior to a mission in the Middle East The challenge coin for a boom operator See also EditAircrew Flight crew References Edit a b c d e f g h i Smith Richard K 1998 Seventy Five Years of Inflight Refueling Highlights 1923 1998 Washington D C Air Force History and Museums Program ISBN 0160497795 Gentry SMSgt M A The History of Air Refueling PDF Air University Air Force Enlisted Heritage Research Institute Retrieved 21 April 2018 a b c Department of The Air Force AFSC 1A0X1 In Flight Refueling Career Field Education And Training Plan CFETP PDF e publishing af mil Retrieved 7 January 2017 a b c d Rogoway Tyler 20 May 2014 Confessions Of A USAF KC 135 Flying Gas Station Boom Operator Foxtrot Alpha Retrieved 5 January 2017 Kristensen Hans M 15 March 2006 Global Strike A Chronology of the Pentagon s New Offensive Strike Plan PDF Federation of American Scientists 1A0X1 IN FLIGHT REFUELING foreverwingman com Retrieved 15 April 2018 a b Richardson Airman 1st Class Mackenzie KC 135 Stratotanker tour Image 3 of 5 Defense Visual Information Distribution Service DVIDS USAF Retrieved 15 April 2018 N K A W T G NOBODY KICKS ASS WITHOUT TANKER GAS Fly Mag Scandinavian Aviation Magazine Retrieved 15 April 2018 a b May Mike Gas Stations In The Sky inventionandtech com Invention amp Technology Retrieved 22 January 2017 a b Piesing Mark The Aerial Tankers That Helped Shrink the Globe BBC Retrieved 22 January 2017 a b Day Dwayne A Aerial Refueling centennialofflight net U S Centennial of Flight Commission Retrieved 22 January 2017 Powers Rod 1A0X1 In Flight Refueling Air Force Job Description The Balance Retrieved 7 January 2017 a b U S Air Force U S Air Force Career Detail In flight Refueling www airforce com Retrieved 5 January 2017 Llego el 1er KC 135E para la FACh ModoCharlie modocharlie com 16 February 2010 Archived from the original on 24 March 2017 Retrieved 26 April 2018 Boeing Boeing Delivers First KC 135R to Singapore Air Force Archived 14 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine Singapore to join coalition against Islamic State AFP Archived from the original on 4 November 2014 Retrieved 4 November 2014 Evaluatie project KDC 10 Ministerie van Defensie in Dutch 1 July 1999 Retrieved 5 January 2014 Airbus D amp S Orders amp deliveries pdf PDF Airbus S A S 30 November 2016 Archived from the original PDF on 11 August 2018 Retrieved 5 January 2018 MMF Background Paper Flashback From acknowledging Europe s Air to Air Refuelling gap to today s MFF signing PDF Airbus Defence amp Space July 2016 Archived from the original PDF on 17 July 2017 Retrieved 17 July 2017 Sanchez Felix and Marcello Bruni Boeing KC 767 Tankers for Italian Air Force Formally Enter into Service Boeing 17 May 2011 Boeing January 5 2012 Boeing Reports Fourth Quarter Deliveries Boeing Boeing Delivers 4th KC 767 Tanker to Japan Ministry of Defense Boeing 12 January 2010 Brazil to add third converted 767 tanker Flight International 27 May 2014 Retrieved 26 January 2015 KC 33A Closing the Aerial Refuelling and Strategic Air Mobility Gaps PDF Air Power Australia Analysis APA 2005 02 April 16 2005 Retrieved December 17 2007 a b 2017 USAF Almanac Fact and Figures PDF Air Force Magazine May 2017 Archived from the original PDF on 2018 04 26 Retrieved 2018 05 03 a b KC 10 Extender U S Air Force USAF Retrieved 16 April 2018 What it takes to be a boom operator U S Air Force Retrieved 5 January 2017 412th Test Wing www aerotechnews com Retrieved 5 January 2017 KC 46 Flight Simulators To Enable Pilots Boom Operators To Train Together Defense News Retrieved 5 January 2017 Pawlyk Oriana 8 March 2018 KC 46 Tanker Delivery Will Be Delayed Air Force Confirms Military com Retrieved 16 April 2018 a b KC 46 TANKER MODERNIZATION PDF U S Government Accountability Office U S Government Accountability Office Retrieved 6 May 2018 Boeing Receives US Air Force Contract to Build Next Generation Refueling Tanker Boeing MediaRoom Boeing Retrieved 16 April 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Boom operator military amp oldid 1151810530, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
