Maintainers with the 39th Logistic Readiness Squadron at Incirlik AB, Turkey, are resorting to an old refueling technique—last used there a decade ago—that minimizes equipment wear and tear, saves maintenance time, and affords pilots more training time. The technique, called “hot pitting,” calls for fuels airmen to refuel an aircraft while its engines are running. The maintainers are applying the method to F-16s newly arrived for a training exercise from the 22nd Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem AB, Germany.
The Air Force plans to add external weapons pylons on the B-1B bomber, both to increase the number of aircraft that can test hypersonic missiles and expand the Lancer’s loadout as USAF transitions to the B-21 bomber.