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The need for more survivable tankers is becoming a pressing issue in the dawning age of anti-access and area-denial warfare. America has built the backbone of its air combat force around fuel-thirsty fighters that are addicted to tanker gas. In potential future conflicts, having existing airliner-based tankers approach within 500 or so miles of enemy targets will likely entail immense risk. Outfitting tankers with situational awareness-enhancing avionics and sensors, electronic warfare systems, and even kinetic-kill defensive systems and high-power lasers are ways to approach this problem. But shooting down incoming missiles as they approach with exotic close-in defenses or avoiding enemy threats altogether by running from them are hardly attractive solutions to this problem.
Another more robust way is to field a stealthy tanker that can move far closer to target sets with 5th generation fighters and stealthy drones in tow. Such an aircraft could also benefit from the aforementioned systems as well, including kinetic-kill interceptors, making it even more survivable. You are unlikely to find a more thorough case for fielding such an aircraft than the one we published in 2017, which you can read here. Fast forward to over a year later and now the Air Force Research Lab is showing off a model of a somewhat familiar stealthy tanker-transport design without any real explanation.
The model, which looks like a variation of Lockheed's 'Speed Agile' concept, titled "Advanced Aerial Refueling" was noticed by Aviation Week's Guy Norris in the Air Force Research Lab's area at the 2018 AIAA Aviation forum that took place in Atlanta this week. According to Guy, this model also included a flying-wing UCAV being refueled off its boom.
A year ago, another stealthy tanker-transport model was displayed by Lockheed at a similar trade show and forum. Clearly, models don't necessarily mean anything definitive, but the appearance of this model now does point to an ongoing interest in the stealth tanker concept if not some kind of program to develop one.
http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...air-force-research-lab-at-aviation-conferenceBy 2009, the Air Force’s commando headquarters had started looking at acquiring a stealthy transport plane to make infiltrating hostile areas a safer proposition. Dubbed “Project IX,” the proposed plane would have filled multiple “gaps and shortfalls” in existing aircraft such as the Combat Talon, according to the Air Force.
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While the flying branch didn’t have a specific design in mind, it did have very clear requirements for what would be a brand-new plane. The aircraft’s primary missions would be sneaking commandos into defended territory, bringing them supplies if necessary and then getting them out safely — just like the MC-130H does.
Crews would be able to do so regardless of the time of day, the temperature or the weather. The plane would even function under chemical, biological or nuclear attack.
Most importantly, the new plane would take advantage of “low-observable” technology — in other words, it would be stealthy. A radar-evading shape would be central to the design. Like the Air Force’s upcoming B-21 bomber, the project would require the utmost secrecy.
“There are lessons learned and precedents for such responsibility regarding other specialized aircraft (F-117, B-2, F-22, etc.),” the report explains. “Project IX will take full advantage of them.”
Not surprisingly, the aircraft would get top-of-the-line communications equipment, powerful radars and video cameras and other special gear. The proposed crew of three — pilot, co-pilot and loadmaster — might grow in order to fly spy missions.
Really cool, i dont know why we didnt do this instead of the current tanker considering how shitty that program has been. Also A stealth troop transport for Spec-op is actually a cool idea
