US Military Contracts for Private Aerial Refueling Services
May 22, 2011 11:13 EDT
Crash, and burn. (May 19/11)
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”? As Britain’s FSTA public-private aerial tanker partnership comes to fruition, that’s exactly what could happen.
The USA’s KC-45 competition was set to buy up to 179 aircraft for the USAF’s fleet instead. Even here, however, some outsourcing is going on. Enter Omega Refueling Services, Inc.
- Using Omega’s Air Force
- Contracts [updated]
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.”
For instance, Australia withdrew its own 707-based aerial tanker from service in July 2008. Their Department of Defence has told DID that Omega is providing air to air refuelling (AAR) services to the RAAF as a bridging option, until Australia’s first A330/KC-30A tankers achieve full operational capability in 2012. Activities include support for exercises like RED FLAG in the USA and PITCH BLACK in northern Australia, Super Hornet training in the USA, and Super Hornet ferry flights from the US to RAAFB Amberley. Many of these exercises and evolutions also include USAF and/or USN aircraft, which is convenient for all parties concerned.
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. had 2 operational Boeing 707-300 tankers, modified with newer engines, 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.
In May 2011, one of its K-707s was destroyed in a crash at Point Mugu, CA.
A KDC-10 aircraft is also available. This is a modified DC-10-40, with FRL wing pods from Cobham plc subsidiary Sergent-Fletcher.
Contracts
All contracts are managed by US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD, unless otherwise noted.
May 19/11: One of Omega’s 2 refitted K-707 aerial tankers veers off the runway, crashes, and burns up during a takeoff attempt at Pt. Mugu, CA. Reports indicate that one of the engines may have caught fire before the crash.
All 3 people on board manage to escape from the former Pan-Am jet, but with 150,000 pounds of fuel on board, the subsequent fire is a real challenge for the fire department. Early surveys indicate that very little of the fuel survived to contaminate the nearby marshes. Flight International | Irish Independent | Sacramento Bee | Ventura County Star.
March 10/11: Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc. in Alexandria, VA receives a $31.5 million indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity contract modification, exercising an option for contractor owned and operated aircraft in support of the Commercial Air Services (CAS) Program.
Work will be performed at various locations in the continental United States (45% East Coast and 35% West Coast), and at various locations outside the continental United States (20%); and is expected to be complete in March 2012 (N00019-07-D-0009).
March 11/10: Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc. in Alexandria, VA receives a $32.4 million indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity contract modification, exercising an option for contractor owned and operated aircraft in support of the Commercial Air Services (CAS) Program.
Work will be performed at various locations in the continental United States (45% East Coast and 35% West Coast), and at various locations outside the continental United States (20%); and is expected to be complete in March 2011 (N00019-07-D-0009).
Jan 21/10: Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc. receives a $6.8 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract to provide air-to-air refueling services in support of Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18 Hornet family fighters under the Foreign Military Sales Program. The RAAF conducts multiple exercises with the US Navy each year using its F/A-18 A/B+ Hornets, and is training its F/A-18F Super Hornet pilots in the United States at NAS Lemoore. See above for more details concerning Australia’s use of Omega’s services.
Work will be performed at Naval Air Station Lemoore, CA (50%), and at Royal Australian Air Force Base Williamstown, Australia (50%), and is expected to be complete in February 2011 (N00421-10-D-0009).
March 11/10: Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc. in Alexandria, VA received a $32.4 million modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-07-D-0009), exercising an option for contractor owned-and-operated aircraft in support of the Commercial Air Services (CAS) program.
Work will be performed at various locations in the continental United States (45% East Coast, 35% West Coast) and at various locations outside the continental United States (20%), and is expected to be complete in March 2011.
Sept 15/09: Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc. in Alexandria, VA received a $6.9 million modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-07-D-0009), exercising an option for contractor owned and operated aircraft in support of the Commercial Air Services (CAS) Program. This option provides for an additional 54,000 flight minutes, which equates to 900 flight hours.
Work will be performed at various American locations (45% East Coast and 35% West Coast); and at various locations outside the continental USA (20%), and is expected to be complete in March 2010.
March 18/09: Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc. of Alexandria, VA receives a $24.7 million modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-07-D-0009). It exercises an option for contractor owned and operated aircraft in support of the Commercial Air Services program, which provides aerial refueling tanking for Navy and other Government agency aircraft.
Work will be performed in Oceana, VA (45%); Point Mugu, CA (35%); and various military activities across the United States and abroad (20%), and is expected to be completed in March 2010.
March 17/08: Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc. in Alexandria, VA receives 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 (Outside the CONtinental US) (20%), and is expected to be complete in March 2009.
March 19/07: Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc. in Alexandria, VA receives 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.
