Twenty Years of NATO AWACS Tanker Support by Marco de Groot and Emiel Wissel

When the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) decided to buy 18 E-3A AWACS aircraft in 1978, their purpose was clear: the E-3s would be NATO’s eyes for what was going on in the skies of Eastern Europe and beyond. Following the collapse of the Warsaw Pact and evolving world politics, NATO AWACS operations have become widespread, with longer missions and deployments to operating areas far from their home base in Geilenkirchen, Germany. Being able to stay airborne longer using air-to-air refueling (AAR) has become a vital requirement, and NATO AWACS pilots must keep their AAR skills sharp.

In 1989, the NATO Airborne Early Warning & Control Force (NAEW&CF) started contracting US Air National Guard (ANG) KC-135 aircraft to train AWACS pilots in AAR. "This was not done on a regular basis like it is today," explains Lt. Col. Joseph Bosch, the ANG liaison officer at Geilenkirchen airbase.

Why did the ANG draw this responsibility, rather than the regular Air Force? "The costs of hiring Air Force KC-135s were much higher than using ANG ones. The reason is quite simple," Bosch continues. "Using a USAF KC135 would mean paying for it from when the aircraft lifts off at its home base in the US until it returns home." However, ANG units, with their large component of reserve and part-time personnel, have annual two-week periods in which they must carry out operational training. The timing works out perfectly for ANG units to deploy to Geilenkirchen for this training. The flights to and from Germany are on the budget of the US units, giving NATO the benefit of only having to pay for "real" flying hours. This structure has now worked successfully for more than two decades.

Guard units typically deploy to Geilenkirchen with two aircraft and around 25 personnel, including three flight crews. NATO AWACS pilots need to practice AAR during daylight every 45 days and during nighttime every 120 days, and each year about 500 training flights are flown. Geilenkirchen has restricted operating hours due to noise abatement regulations, and during summer (when nightfall is later) nighttime training creates a problem. To comply with the rules, one KC-135 will deploy to Trapani airbase in Italy, one of three Forward Operating Bases (FOB) for the NAEW&CF, where operating hours are less-restricted. Orland air base in Norway, another FOB, is also used sometimes for night AAR training.

However most of training is done in German airspace, where several Air Refueling Areas (ARA) are available. The authors took part in one of such training flight, in the "Kim long" ARA over northern Germany, where "ESSO 75," a KC-135R from the 126th Air Refueling Wing of the Illinois ANG, met up with "NATO 41," an E-3A. For two hours "NATO 41" practiced both wet and dry boom hook-ups. During the training period NATO 41 changed pilots two times, giving three pilots the opportunity to fly at least 30 minutes each.

While the E-3 was connected, the boom the operator slowly moved the boom in all directions, giving the AWACS pilot an idea of the boom’s travel limits –important so the pilots visually recognize these limits and avoid moving beyond them, which would trigger an automatic disconnect.

Despite the fact that ANG/AFRC tankers are available for around 40 weeks a year, it remains a challenge to give all AWACS pilots the AAR time needed to maintain their skills. "Our present contract is due for renewal in 2017," says Lt. Col. Bosch. "Both sides are willing to continue this happy marriage." With all the conflicts and tension along the borders of Europe keeping the NAEW&CF busy, NATO’s eyes in the sky will continue to depend on AAR for the foreseeable future.

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