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Italian Air Force Eurofighters in air-to-air refuelling mission

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Air-to-air refuelling is one of the daily training activities undertaken by Eurofighter Typhoon pilots. In this picture, taken during one of those missions in January 2012, four Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force) Typhoons (three single seat and a twin seater), belonging to the 4° Stormo (Wing) based at Grosseto airbase, refuel from a KC-130J of the 46^ Brigata Aerea (Air Brigade) from Pisa.

Such training missions are routinely flown to give the Typhoon pilots the opportunity to perform multiple plugs with the tanker’s hose and practice for real operations. “Dry plugs” are connections during which no fuel is pumped from the tanker, as opposed to “wet plugs” when the receiver gets fuel. 

During Operation Unified Protector in Libya, KC-130Js operating from Pisa refuelled the Italian Typhoons deployed to Trapani tasked with HVAA (High Value Air Asset) escort and DCA (Defensive Counter Air) missions.

Source : Eurofighter

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Published on ASDNews: Jan 26, 2012