The crews performed refueling in conditions of limited visibility, at night, using on-board lighting equipment
YEKATERINBURG, December 9. /tass/. Pilots of supersonic MiG-31 interceptor fighters of two aviation regiments of the Central Military District (CVO) stationed in the Perm and Krasnoyarsk Territories performed about 40 refueling from an air tanker during tactical flight exercises that started in the Chelyabinsk region. This is stated in a message distributed on Thursday by the press service of the district.
"The crews of the MiG-31 interceptors were the first to start working out the most difficult element of flight training - refueling in the air. During the exercise, the pilots performed approaches and contacts with the cone sensor of the IL-78 air tanker at an altitude of 4,000 to 6,000 meters. The crews worked out a pair approach and refueling of aircraft, controlling supersonic combat airships at a speed of about 700 km/ h. To transfer fuel from an air tanker to an interceptor fighter, the pilots approached the Il-78 aircraft up to 15-20 meters," the report says, specifying that in the first days of the two-week exercises, the crews performed about 40 refueling operations.
Then the crews of Su-34 fighter-bombers and Su-24MR reconnaissance aircraft of the Chelyabinsk aviation regiment will work out refueling in the air. In addition, during the exercises, the crews of three types of tactical aircraft of the Central Military District will perform approaches to the tanker in conditions of limited visibility, at night, using on-board lighting equipment.
13 units of aviation equipment are involved in flight-tactical exercises for refueling in the air: Il-78 tanker aircraft, MiG-31 interceptor fighters, Su-34 fighter-bombers and Su-24MR reconnaissance aircraft, as well as about 200 military personnel from among the flight, engineering and technical personnel, flight control and support groups.
