The first air-to-air refuelling trials involving JAS 39 Gripen fighters and a Swedish air force C-130 Hercules have taken place over the Baltic Sea. The C-130 from the Swedish air force wing F 7 was operating from the FMV test centre and the Gripens were flown by Saab.
“During the campaign, the air-to-air refueling capability between Gripen and the C-130 tanker has been verified within the required envelope, including refuelling at various speeds, altitudes and with various external loads,” says Mats Thorbiörnson, chief test pilot at Saab Aerosystems. In April 2005 Saab verified the Gripen’s air-to-air refuelling capability with a NATO standard tanker from the South African air force. Sweden aims to have one C-130 certificated for air-to-air refuelling operational from January 2006.
Source: Flight International
