Few days ago, the video uploaded to YouTube of a near midair collision between a NATO E-3 AWACS aircraft and KC-135 Stratotanker went viral.
The video, taken from the perspective of the KC-135’s boom operator, shows a NATO Sentry approach the tanker’s boom during a seemingly routine refuel operation. The attempt fails, the E-3 moves a bit too far to the side of the tanker and then pitches up, nearly colliding with the tail of the Stratotanker, before the E-3 performs an evasive maneuver to avoid the collision.
Some more details about the episode have emerged since the footage was first published on The Aviationist and several more website.
First of all, the episode occurred several years ago.
Then, the refueling jet operated by the 507th and 137th Air Refueling Wings at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.
Anyway, the following video shows a (successful and for this reason “uneventful”) air-to-air refueling (AAR) operation from the E-3 pilot’s perspective.
Although it has nothing to do with the near midair collision, it gives an idea of how close the two large planes are during AAR ops. Making the unexpected Sentry’s climb that almost led to a disaster even more difficult to explain.
Even if the receiver moved away from the boom the E-3 crew still had the refueler insight. Why did they climb to get back in position that fast almost hitting the KC-135 tail?
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- Michigan ANG KC-135s at RAF Mildenhall to support local tanker force (currently deployed all over the world) (theaviationist.com)
- UK’s first RC-135W “Airseeker” intelligence gathering aircraft in service by the end of 2013 (theaviationist.com)
- Video: KC-130 tactical refueler escorts four MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor planes from Afghanistan to USS Iwo Jima (theaviationist.com)
