Awesome video of KC-10 refueling another KC-10 against a full moon….through IR vision

May 26 2015 - 7 Comments
By David Cenciotti

This incredible video was taken by a Damocles targeting pod.

The video in this post was probably taken somewhere over Afghanistan.

It shows U.S. Air Force KC-10 “buddy” refueling against a full moon.

The IR-vision scene, with the moon appearing closer due to the magnifying effect of the zoom, was filmed with a Damocles multi-function targeting pod, by a French aircraft, possibly a Dassault Rafale, a Mirage 2000 or a French Navy Super Etendard that are equipped with the pod used for laser designation and day/night smart weapons guidance.

H/T Gizmodo

 

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  • Yak

    Those French pilots are having a good time ! For those who can’t understand it, at the beginning of the video they are commenting with humor like wildlife documentary reporters.
    I’m summing it up, but there’s something quite like :

    “My my, look at this, something really odd happening : an intercourse, yes, an intercourse between two tankers. Let’s now find out which is male, and which is female.”

    • Velvet Bolt

      I honestly never expected that, good laugh nevertheless, thank you.

  • Agalnov

    looks fake to me… at least the tráiler one

    • BadgerMk1

      A lot of experience with targeting pod footage, eh?

    • Yak

      At some time near the end of the video, the pilots are commenting (in french) how “excellent” the background with the full moon is, 2-3 times.
      With the rest of their humorous talking about the tankers “having intercourse”, doesn’t seem fake to me. Moreover, the French AF does not own / need to promote VC-10, so why faking ?
      Just an unusual footage of casual fighter pilot flying, if you ask me.

  • AlphaZulu

    I’m not sure it’s a Damocles pod… back in 2007? What about a PDLCT-S from a Mirage 2000D?

  • Jan Schmidt

    Wow! Impressive! Its footage from a Thales Damocles Multi-function Targeting pod, available for Mirage 2000, Rafale, Super Etendard, Sukhoï 30, Tornado and Mirage F-1.

    The video is from 2006 so aircraft using this pod was a Mirage 2000D. What the tankers did is called “force extension”, a tanker on station still has fuel and gives it to its buddy tanker to extend range and on station time.