Air Force KC-46 Flies Refueling Mission Without Copilot

The recent reduced-crew exercise aimed to validate KC-46 operations in certain high-end combat scenarios, the service said.

Kimberly Johnson

Monday, October 31, 2022 at 01:25 PM ET

Verified

The October 25 flight of two KC-46 sorties flown without a copilot occurred inside military test airspace. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Air Force successfully conducted a KC-46A refueling mission with a reduced crew of only a pilot and boom operator to validate operational procedures for high-end combat scenarios.
This test addresses a real operational need to enable rapid aircraft launches during threats, extend long-range missions with offset crews, and maintain combat capability when airfields are targeted.
The initiative is part of a broader Air Force strategy to explore limited crew operations and leverage advanced automation and AI (e.g., in C-130J transports and autonomous Black Hawks) to enhance future operational readiness and counter pilot shortages.

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The U.S. Air Force recently conducted a refueling mission in a KC-46A Pegasus with only a pilot and boom operator—and without a co-pilot—in a test the service said validates operational procedures in certain high-end combat scenarios.

The October 25 flight of two KC-46 sorties flown without a copilot occurred inside military test airspace. The first sortie flew the pattern, while the second completed a refueling mission, including an aerial refueling rendezvous, as well as an air refueling on-load and offload, the Air Force said.