KC-135 receiving communications relay ability

  • Published
  • By Maj. Rich Curry
  • 507th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. (AFPN) --  The KC-135 Stratotanker will soon add a communications capability to its mission.

The installation of Roll-on Beyond Line of Sight Enhancement equipment, will help the flow of information on KC-135s while the aircraft conduct their primary mission of air refueling.

Used primarily as a "flying gas station," the aircraft has served many roles throughout its more than 45 years of service. The aircraft, adapted from the Boeing commercial 707, has been used as a flying command post, an observation platform in compliance with the Open Skies Treaty, a zero-gravity simulator and a flying hospital.

"One of the goals of Air Force transformation is the better integration of military assets,” said Lt. Gen. John Baker, Air Mobility Command vice commander. “The smart tanker concept, which expands the air-refueling mission by including an additional role as a communications platform, is a perfect fit. We directed this transformation effort to increase the use and effectiveness of our tankers because they are always in the area of responsibility refueling fighters, bombers, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets in support of the joint forces commander. The AOR is a place where moving critical information is crucial to rapid targeting and enhancing the situational awareness of our aircrews, regardless of military service.”

The ROBE system is about 2-by-4-foot and can be strapped to the floor like any other pallet. The system is the first in a family of scalable, modular, airborne relay terminals that will be used aboard tankers. The SMART system could have uses on other platforms, such as unmanned and ground- or sea-based vehicles, said officials at the Air Force Command and Control and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center at Langley AFB, Va.

Initially, ROBE will be a data relay allowing communication among network members. The objective is to connect battle directors in an air and space operations center with those en route to or in a theater of operations, officials said.

As seen in Operation Iraqi Freedom, information superiority is just as important as air superiority. Making rapid, accurate battle decisions requires up to the second information.

"If you're doing any combat operations, guess who’s always going to be there? Our tankers," Baker said. "If we put a ROBE system on our tankers knowing they will always be there, it will provide that over-the-horizon capability we need. The ROBE system will boost a signal to and from every friendly force in the theater, whether it's a Joint STARS, AWACS, F-16, F-22 or even aircraft carriers, without using a satellite."

The addition of the ROBE system will not change tanker operations, Baker said.

"All the discussion regarding ROBE is that it will have zero impact on our refueling missions,” the general said. “The ROBE capability is just something to be placed on the aircraft that will be transparent to the crew. Our refueling aircraft are too valuable to park out there (in orbit) and only use as relay platforms.” (Courtesy of AFRC News Service)