U.S. service members prepare to perform a hot-pit refuel on U.S. B-1B Lancers from the 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, on June 12, 2023, at Kogălniceanu Air Base, Romania. Utilizing the Versatile Integrating Partner Equipment Refueling (VIPER) kit, maintainers refueled the aircraft with the engines running, allowing pilots to return to their mission rapidly. (Allison Payne/U.S. Air Force)
U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancers from the 7th Bomb Wing of Texas’ Dyess Air Force Base participated in a hot-pit refueling Monday at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base in Romania as part of German Air Defender 23.
This was the first hot-pit refuel to take place in Romania. Hot-pit refueling — immediately fueling an aircraft after it lands and the engine is still running — allows aircraft to stay airborne longer, and therefore be more effective in combat, according to an Air Force news release.
A U.S. B-1B Lancer from the 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, lands at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, Romania, June 12, 2023. (Allison Payne/U.S. Air Force)
“Hot-pits provide us the chance to exercise the agile combat employment concept,” said Capt. Joshua Dvorak, bomber task force liaison officer, in the release. “They allow us to land and relaunch quickly and (enable) a lot of flexibility within various theaters.”
The bomber task force has been operating out of Great Britain’s RAF Fairford over the past few weeks, according to the release. It has participated in exercises including Vanguard Hawk, Fortress Salvatore, Viking Trident and Arctic Challenge.
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jarrett Scott, 7th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, discusses a hot-pit refuel plan with U.S. B-1B Lancer pilots via headset at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, Romania, June 12, 2023. (Allison Payne/U.S. Air Force)
