US Military Contracts for Private Aerial Refueling Services
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Aerial tankers are essential when moving large quantities of men and materials long distances, or stretching the range and length of fighter combat air patrols. Most are government-owned, but a segment of semi-privatized services may be set to grow alongside existing military fleets. Could DID readers find themselves flying to an Azores vacation on a chartered aerial tanker during its “spare hours”? If Britain’s proposed FSTA public-private aerial tanker partnership comes to fruition, that’s exactly what could happen.
The USA’s KC-45 competition will buy up to 179 aircraft for the USAF’s fleet instead, but even here some outsourcing is going on. Enter Omega Refueling Services, Inc…
Using Omega’s Air Force
The USA’s commercial air services program provides aerial refueling tanking for Navy and other Department of Defense and government agency aircraft. It may also be used in support of Foreign Military Sales cases, government contractors, and “other aircraft capable of aerial refueling.”
The program is administered by NAVAIR SYSCOM PMA-207.5. The tanker is funded for its flying hours to support Navy and Marine Corps Aviation, not fuel use. Fuel purchases come from government-approved sources, using the same government credit card that military units use to pay for fuel; the costs are allocated and charged to the appropriate squadron, just as fuel from a USAF KC-135 would be. All flights are approved by the government’s Commercial Air Services Manager.
Omega Refueling Services, Inc. currently has 2 operational Boeing 707-300 tankers, modified with 2 hose and drogue assemblies, electric, hydraulic and fuel lines, and 2 center wing fuel tank pumps. System controls and video monitoring devices in the cockpit control fuel offload. While this will allow them to refuel US Navy and Marine Corps aircraft, and those of many foreign countries, the K-707 lacks the boom assembly needed to fit with the dorsal refueling slots of most USAF aircraft. The fuel tank system is similar to a military KC-135, with 2 reserve tanks, 2 outboard main tanks, 2 inboard main tanks, and a center wing tank. The K-707 lacks the KC-135’s forward and aft body tanks, however, and even Omega’s larger wing and fuselage tanks leave the “K-707 Omega” with a slightly lower total fuel capacity of 156,000 – 160,000 pounds. The planes are capable of flying up to 1,600-1,800 hours per year.
A KDC-10 aircraft is undergoing certification testing, and will be available soon. This is a modified DC-10 with FRL wing pods from Cobham plc subsidiary Sergent-Fletcher.
Contracts
Contracts are issued by the Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD.
March 17/08: Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc. in Alexandria, VA received a $30.8 million modification to a previously awarded indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract (N00019-07-D-0009), exercising exercise an option for contractor owned and operated aircraft in support of the commercial air services program.
Work will be performed in Oceana, VA (45%); Point Mugu, CA (35%); and various military activities across the United States and OCONUS (20%), and is expected to be complete in March 2009.
March 19/07: Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc. in Alexandria, VA received a $24 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract to provide contractor owned and operated aircraft in support of the Commercial Air Services Program. This contract was not competitively procured (N00019-07-D-0009).
Work will be performed in Oceana, VA (30%); Point Mugu, CA (25%); and various military activities across the United States and OCONUS (45%), and is expected to be complete in March 2008.
