In the sky over the Southern Urals, the crews of Su-34 fighter-bombers and Su-24MR reconnaissance aircraft have begun exercises: they will work out refueling at an altitude of about 7000 meters. "This is the second stage of the tactical flight exercise of the aviation division," the press service of the Central Military District said.
The pilots work out a pair and a single refueling from the Il-78 air tanker. The most difficult element of flight training is performed by military personnel at a speed of 600-650 kilometers per hour, approaching a tanker aircraft at a distance of up to 10 meters.
"During refueling, the crews of the Su-34 and Su-24MR work out interaction with the commander of the Il-78: he controls the speed and altitude of the flight, the distance between the aircraft, and the order of their approaches to the air tanker," the Central Military District explained.
Planes are refueled with the help of special equipment-a rod and a cone sensor.
Earlier, more than 50 contacts with the air tanker were conducted by the crews of supersonic MiG-31BM interceptor fighters during an exercise in Eastern Siberia. Then the heights at which the pilots practiced refueling reached eight thousand meters. In addition, there were about 20 night flights, which further complicated the already difficult task.
The tactical flight exercise will be completed at the end of next week.
Tatyana Vorobyova
