JUST IN: Air Force Takes Step Toward Autonomous KC-135 Tanker Ops
5/2/2024
By Stew Magnuson
The Air Force is investigating how to insert autonomy into its KC-135 Stratotankers.
Mountain View, California-based Reliable Robotics delivered a report to the Air Force earlier in the year spelling out how it could employ the company’s aircraft agnostic autonomous flight system on the tanker. The plan included how the company’s software could be used to taxi, takeoff and land, a company statement released May 2 said.
However, the delicate operation where the tanker connects its refueling boom with the recipient aircraft would be “continuing to mature,” the statement said.
The KC-135 is Air Force’s first jet-powered tanker and has been flying refueling missions for more than 60 years. The service is currently replacing some of the KC-135 fleet with the KC-46 Pegasus tanker, which has suffered cost overruns and delays. Both tankers are Boeing products.
https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2024/5/2/air-force-takes-step-toward-autonomous-kc-135-tanker-ops
