BAE Systems Regional Aircraft foresees tactical use for its proposed air-to-air refueling variant of its BAe 146 and Avro RJ regional jetliners, according to a company executive.
BAE Systems Regional Aircraft Business Director for Engineering Mark Taylor said on Sept. 11 via a spokesman a requirement to fit additional auxiliary fuel tanks in the jet’s cabin could provide up to approximately 39,700 pounds of fuel for transfer. The standard tankage in the BAe 146 and Avro RJ provides up to approximately 15,400 pounds of available fuel, which the company said is sufficient for air-to-air refueling at a low cost.
The company unveiled on Sept. 10 at the Defence Services Equipment International (DSEI) exibition in London its proposal for the BAe 146/Avro RJ refueling variant, calling it in a statement a “sound business proposition” for military planners and air forces who need this capability, but are facing the financial realities of dwindling defense budgets. The Avro RJ is an updated version of the BAe 146.
BAE Systems Regional Aircraft believes the design of the BAe 146 and Avro RJ with their high wings and “T-tail” configurations makes them ideal for air-to-air refueling operations. The company said having successfully completed proximity flight trials using a BAe 146-200, Avro RJ85 and a Hawk advanced jet trainer confirms that the aerodynamic environment behind the quad jet is benign and the aircraft, therefore, has considerable potential as an air-to-air refueling aircraft.
Taylor said via a spokesman BAE Systems Regional Aircraft plans to approach the U.S. Air Force about refueling V-22s via its proposed BAe 146/Avro RJ refueling variant because it believes the variant is well-suited for air-to-air refueling of tilt-rotor aircraft. The company said tilt-rotor aircraft can experience additional challenges when in the slipstream of some other tanker aircraft. The V-22 is a joint venture of Bell Helicopter, a division of Textron [TXT], and Boeing [BA].
BAE Systems Regional Aircraft sees a potential market opportunity in the training realm for its proposed BAe 146/Avro RJ refueling variant, Taylor said via a spokesman, because larger, and more expensive, refueling tankers like the U.S. Air Force’s KC-135 are often used for dry training exercises. A case could be made, Taylor said, for smaller tactical refuelers like the proposed BAe 146/Avro RJ variant performing training missions for both dry and “wet” training missions where actual fuel is transferred.
“Whether to provide air-to-air tanker capability or, in particular, to provide realistic air-to-air refueling training, the acquisition of a fleet of these aircraft can be accomplished at a fraction of the cost of current refueling aircraft, while delivering excellent performance,” Taylor said.
Taylor said the proposed BAe 146/Avro RJ aerial refueling variant will use the hose and drogue system used by the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force (RAF) as opposed to the “boom” system employed by the U.S. Air Force for its fixed-wing aircraft. The “boom” system is a rigid, telescoping tube that a tanker aircraft operator extends and inserts into a receptacle on the aircraft being refueled. A drogue is a small windsock at the end of the hose that stabilizes it in flight and provides a funnel for the aircraft being refueled, which inserts a probe into the hose. U.S. Air Force helicopters and U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aircraft use hose and drogue.
BAE Systems Regional Aircraft is a provider of managed solutions for aircraft support services and engineering.