German A400M Refuels AFSOC CV-22 Osprey for the First Time
The check is geared toward increasing the refueling envelope of the A400M to refuel all kinds of NATO plane, and follows the primary ever refueling of a V-22 in early 2025.
A German Air Drive (Luftwaffe) A400M efficiently refueled for the primary time a U.S. Air Drive CV-22B Osprey, operated by the AFSOC (Air Drive Particular Operations Command), on Mar. 19, 2025, introduced the Luftwaffe on Mar. 22. Earlier this 12 months, on Jan. 13, Airbus Defence introduced {that a} German A400M refueled a U.S. Navy V-22 Osprey. Each flights had been aimed in the direction of a functionality enlargement of the A400M, with the aim to widen its refueling envelope with NATO plane.
Additionally, Germany will quickly ship one plane to the US to check its air refueling functionality with a MH-47G Chinook. The Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) talked about this as a part of their actions in preparation for working and refueling their very own CH-47F Block II SR AAR (Customary Vary – Air-to-Air Refuelling), as Germany is anticipated to obtain 60 of those helicopters by Oct. 2032.
The A400M typically is present process a sequence of flight envelope expansions, with the French Air and House Drive certifying the plane on icy runways in Canada and Greenland, pushed by Allied interoperability wants. The identical crucial was acknowledged by the Luftwaffe with the present exams.
In German service, the A400M has flown for over ten years and, by Nov. 2024, logged 51,000 flight hours, with 25,000 of them flown since Jan. 2022. The Bundeswehr obtained its first A400M on Dec. 18, 2014, which was delivered a day later to the 62nd Air Transport Wing (LTG 62) in Wunstorf. As of Dec. 2024, Germany is working 48 out of 53 A400Ms ordered, with almost all of them primarily based at Wunstorf.
January 2025 U.S. Navy V-22B Osprey refueling
Neither the Luftwaffe, the German Armed Forces, nor the U.S. Navy launched any data on the exams with the U.S. Navy V-22B Osprey in January.
Particulars of that check had been restricted to the X publish by Airbus Defence, which mentioned the, “A400M efficiently gave gas to a @USNavy V-22 Osprey throughout a flight check marketing campaign carried out by @Team_Luftwaffe.” This implies an unidentified variety of dockings should have taken place between the V-22B Osprey, though the particular variant used is just not recognized, and the A400M.
“This additional expands the German A400M’s function as a tanker and marks a step in the direction of growing interoperability with NATO companions,” Airbus added. As we reported concerning the enlargement of the refueling envelope of the U.S. Navy’s KC-130T, which concerned testing the influence of the wake from its new propellers on the refueling hose and drogue-and-chute system, U.S. and German crews should have had an analogous effort right here.
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The #A400M efficiently gave gas to a @USNavy V-22 Osprey throughout a flight check marketing campaign carried out by @Team_Luftwaffe.
This additional expands the German A400M’s function as a tanker and marks a step in the direction of growing interoperability with #NATO companions. pic.twitter.com/3kisGZFfew— Airbus Defence (@AirbusDefence) January 13, 2025
Because the A400M is quicker than the Osprey, it will must fly at a decreased velocity, whereas the tilt-rotor’s pilots must function at excessive speeds, requiring exact maneuvering. The crew may additionally need to introduce distinct procedures for using the refueling hose, personalized for the Osprey’s flight traits.
March 2025 Osprey refuelling
Within the newest Mar. 19 check over the North Sea with the AFSOC’s CV-22B Osprey, the Luftwaffe mentioned in an Instagram publish on Mar. 22, 2025: “On Wednesday, we refueled a CV-22 Osprey of the US Air Drive for the primary time in mid-air with our A400M. Along with our allies, we had been on the North Beach – a robust signal of our cooperation! We stay up for additional workout routines.”
The service added that the CV-22B Osprey was operated by the AFSOC’s 352nd Particular Operations Wing (SOW), primarily based at RAF Mildenhall, UK, beneath the U.S. EUCOM (European Command).
On its WhatsApp channel “TeamLuftwaffe”, a machine-translated publish from the service mentioned: “First refueling of a CV-22 Osprey by our A400M! For the primary time, our A400M refueled a CV-22 Osprey of the US Air Drive in mid-air. We had been deployed alongside our allies alongside the North Beach – a robust demonstration of our shut cooperation! Such workout routines strengthen our operational functionality and partnership. We stay up for additional joint coaching workout routines!”
The photographs launched present from varied angles the A400M refueling the CV-22B Osprey, with the hose prolonged and related with the latter’s refueling probe. A shot from the refueling system’s digicam on the flight engineer’s console within the cockpit confirmed the hose simply above the Osprey, shortly earlier than connecting.
A400M refueling functionality
The A400M makes use of an extra centerline HDU (Hose and Drum Unit) system, which features a protrusion beneath the rear cargo ramp doorways and tanks contained in the cargo maintain, together with underwing pods. This permits the A400M to refuel a big number of plane, together with different A400Ms and even C-130s. Its primary gas capability of 63,500 litres will increase with the 2 additional cargo maintain tanks of the HDU, which carry 7,200 litres every and might switch gas at a fee of two,000 litres (600 US gallons) per minute.
The HDU is an extra equipment that may be quickly put in, remodeling the A400M right into a devoted tanker with the three-point refueling system. The U.S. Navy and the USAF Ospreys, as seen within the photographs, had been refueled utilizing the centerline HDU unit.
The A400M program had initially seen points with the shortcoming to refuel helicopters, beside dropping paratroopers from the aspect fuselage doorways. In Sep. 2019, Airbus and the French Directorate Basic of Armament (DGA) carried out the primary profitable helicopter mid-air refueling check using an H225M Caracal.
Then, on Jan. 10, 2024, as part of an effort “to clear the complete envelope for all NATO allies” working the A400M Atlas, a German plane refueled an F/A-18F Tremendous Hornet, assigned to the Air Take a look at and Analysis Squadron 23 (VX-23), at NAS (Naval Air Station) Patuxent River, Maryland. The A400M used solely its underwing pods for the flight.
This was adopted by one other envelope enlargement flight at NAS Patuxent River on Aug. 28, 2024, this time with an E/A-18G Growler and an F/A-18F Tremendous Hornet from VX-23 which obtained in-flight refueling from the Luftwaffe A400M’s HDU and underwing pods, respectively.
Luftwaffe A400Ms headed to US to coach on Chinooks
In a separate press launch on Mar. 7, 2025, in regards to the significance and advantages of Germany’s anticipated CH-47F Block II SR AAR helicopters, the Bundeswehr mentioned that part of the hassle was to certify its A400Ms to refuel the tandem-rotor plane. “Air -to-air refueling is anticipated to start this 12 months within the USA with a German A400M and an American Chinook MH-47G. Checks with the KC-130J transport plane have already been efficiently accomplished,” mentioned the assertion.
To be constructed on the Boeing plant in Philadelphia, the primary Chinook is scheduled to reach in Germany in Oct. 2027, and the final of the 60 plane in Oct. 2032. This additionally aligns with the retirement of Germany’s final CH-53K King Stallions, that are anticipated to achieve the top of their service life within the 2030s.
The discharge added that, with the intention to start operations with the Chinook instantly after its arrival, coaching for technicians, loadmasters and pilots has already begun in the US and the Netherlands, “whereas one other change with Nice Britain will start in summer time 2025.”
