Nick Collins
The French Navy (Marine Nationale)'s Naval Aviation (aéronautique navale) announced that a new refueling pod for the for Rafale M fighter has achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC).
French Navy picture.
Xavier Vavasseur 22 Jan 2021
The new NARANG (NAcelle de RAvitaillement Nouvelle Génération) pod is based on the existing “Intertechnique” IN234000 refueling pod. It has been modified to increase the fuel transfer rate (to a value between 750L/min and 1000L/min), improve its behavior during in-flight refueling and lighten technical support thanks to an integrated maintenance system.
Thanks to the refueling pod, a Rafale M fighter can be reconfigured for “buddy tanking” other aircraft. This allows the carrier air wing to extend the range of its strike aircraft. In other cases, using the buddy store method allows a carrier-based aircraft to take-off with a heavier than usual load, the aircraft then being topped-up before conducting its mission. The U.S. Navy is doing the same with its F/A-18 Super Hornets but is looking to use an unmanned aircraft for this support mission in order to dedicate its fighters to combat missions. For the record, the future E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes of the French Navy will be refueled by the Rafale M with the NARANG pod.....Go to article
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