Photo By Master Sgt. Michael Stewart | A Royal Malaysian Air Force SU-30MKM refuels from a 141st Air Refueling Wing KC-135...... read more read more
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A light drizzle falls over the tarmac at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Subang Air Base in Malaysia as pilots and maintenance crews from the 141st Air Refueling Wing begin their quarter-mile walk from the passenger terminal to two KC-135 Stratotankers. The team prepares the aircraft for the day's State Partnership engagement flights, a task they’ve done many times before in Malaysia. However, today’s flight will be different. They are about to make U.S. military history by refueling a Russian-made aircraft something that has never been done before.
As the maintenance crews begin their work, the drizzle turns into torrential rain, flooding the area. Water cascades off the sides of the aircraft like waterfalls, creating hard-edged outlines on the ground where the wings act as umbrellas. Lightning and thunder can be seen in the distance, growing closer. Crews continue working cautiously, but there’s a sense that history might not be made today, at least not in this weather. "In my 12 years as a crew chief, this was the most rain I've ever had to work in," said Tech. Sgt. Dallas Browning, crew chief with the 141st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "We weren’t too concerned about the lightning since it was six nautical miles away. The real challenge would have been performing maintenance on the hydraulics, which would have required us to walk out on the wings. Fortunately, we didn’t need to do that."
The heavy rain subsides, and the lightning warning clears just in time to board passengers. For this flight, the RMAF would fly two different aircraft: the Boeing F/A-18D Hornet and the Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30MKM. Each KC-135 is equipped with a different type of drogue to accommodate the two aircraft. One tanker, supporting the Sukhoi, is fitted with dual under-wing attachments known as the Multi-Point Refueling System (MPRS), while the other uses a Boom Drogue Adapter (BDA). Unlike the soft canvas basket of the MPRS, the BDA units use a steel basket, grimly known as the "Iron Maiden" by naval aviators because of its unforgiving nature. Although the probes on the Malaysian fighters can accommodate either system, there are risks involved.
"Due to the unforgiving nature of the ‘Iron Maiden,’ there is a higher risk of damaging or even breaking off the probe of the Su-30," said Chief Master Sgt. Walt Hinton, in-flight refueling manager with the 116th Air Refueling Squadron. "We weren’t sure about the durability and strength of its probe, as we had never conducted a refueling mission with this aircraft. It was safer to use the softer basket of the MPRS."
The momentous occasion attracts several distinguished guests, including Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh, adjutant general of Washington state; Brig. Gen. Kenneth Borchers, commander of the Washington Air National Guard; Mr. Manu Bhalla, deputy chief of mission for Malaysia; and Gen. Tan Sri Dato’
Sri Mohd Asghar Khan bin Goriman Khan, chief of the RMAF.
Both flights take off on time, which is crucial as they are scheduled to rendezvous with five Malaysian aircraft in a predetermined airspace. The location is only 20 minutes away, so everyone must be ready to execute the mission quickly, with little time to process what’s about to happen. The lead aircraft, piloted by Maj. Matt Fisk and Maj. Brian Kranches of the 116th Air Refueling Squadron, climbs to a cruising altitude of more than 20,000 feet, maintaining a steady flight pattern while awaiting the Malaysian fighters.
On a KC-135, window space for observing a probe-and-drogue refueling is extremely limited. The fuel hoses are positioned at the ends of the tanker’s wings, with the primary viewing spot being a five-by-seven-inch window. Everyone aboard huddles around it, jockeying for a clear view. As they wait, Senior Master Sgt. Shaun Bopp, boom operator with the 116th Air Refueling Squadron, positions himself in the boom pod, ready to orchestrate the historic refueling. There’s pressure to get this right. Everyone aboard the KC-135 peers out the windows, hoping to glimpse the approaching Su-30s. Ten minutes later, a call comes over the headset: "They’re approaching." The crew quickly huddles around the small window as the aircraft comes into view. Witnessing a Russian-made fighter approaching a U.S. Air Force plane, even in a friendly posture, felt unsettling for most aboard the jet.
"The sheer presence of the Malaysian Su-30s was awe-inspiring," Bopp said. "They’re highly capable, multi-role fighters, and being up close to such advanced aircraft during a refueling was incredible."
During a refueling operation, the in-flight refueling specialist, more commonly known as a boom operator, takes complete control of communications and coordination between the refueler and the receivers when the aircraft are within half a mile of each other. Even for an experienced boom operator, this refueling mission was complex.
“The radio communication process was a significant hurdle," Bopp said. "The accents, mixed with slight differences in procedural phrasing, meant we had to speak slowly and clearly. We rehearsed key phrases beforehand
to ensure we were all on the same page. There was a slight delay at times due to radio compatibility issues."
When the first of three Su-30s approaches and makes contact with the drogue, a loud cheer erupts from those aboard for this once-in-a-lifetime moment. It’s clear history has been made.
"It was so impressive to see the number of people who stepped up to make this happen, from the outstanding effort of our maintainers to the truly great work from our planners," said Fisk. "Multiple agencies within the Washington Air National Guard came through in a big way to get this done. I'm truly honored to have been a part of it. Hopefully, that's the message our partners in the Royal Malaysian Air Force received—that
members of the Washington ANG will step up and come through when it counts."
In 2017, the Washington Military Department partnered with Malaysia under the National Guard State Partnership Program to establish long-term relationships and interoperability between the two nations' armed forces. The partnership includes sharing best practices in military support to civilian authorities, emergency management, disaster planning, port security, HAZMAT/WMD response initiatives, and airport security. It also facilitates economic, commercial, social, and cultural interactions between the two governments.
“This was an auspicious moment for our relationship: one that shows our outstanding interoperability and cooperation with key partners in the Indo-Pacific Theater,” said Borchers. “I’m incredibly proud of the team
at the 141st ARW for this truly historic accomplishment after years of effort and determination. I want to thank our partners in the Royal Malaysian Air Force for their professionalism and airmanship. This
engagement was a high point in our more than seven-year relationship with Malaysia under the State Partnership Program. I’m
excited to see how we can build upon this success in the future.”
| Date Taken: | 11.03.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.19.2024 14:53 |
| Story ID: | 487867 |
| Location: | SHAH ALAM, MY |
| Web Views: | 53 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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