BEST FIGHTER FOR CANADA

KC-46 Pegasus fueling an F-15 Aerial refueling is nothing new. In theory, aerial refueling is a simple concept.  Take one, preferably large, aircraft with the ability to carry much fuel as possible.  Then modify that aircraft with some sort of umbilical that can connect to another aircraft while both are mid-air, allowing fuel to be transferred from the tanker aircraft to the other.  This allows the freshly refueled aircraft carry on with its mission when landing would not be possible or otherwise inconvenient. The first successful aerial refueling happened almost 100 years ago , only a scant 19 years after the first powered flight.  The concept began more widespread military use in the early days of the Cold War following World War II .  Since then, the ability to provide in-air refueling has become a core capability for almost every modern major air force. For the United States Airforce (USAF), aerial refueling has become a vital asset.  The U...

United States Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh recently made a speech reinforcing the USAF's commitment to three very big and expensive projects.  In question are the KC-46 aerial tanker, the F-35 multirole fighter and the Next-Generation Bomber (B-3?). While it would seem obvious that the USAF's top man would voice support for future projects, the cold, hard reality of the United States' sequestration means that any or all three of these projects could be ripe for the picking. Boeing KC-46A, the USAF's "top priority". The KC-46 is desperately needed to replace the USAF's aging tanker fleet...  Supposedly.  The KC-46 is said to be the USAF's  "top priority"  possibly even beating out the F-35A.  It would seem rather odd, however, that the USAF is so keen on getting new tankers, while at the same time, contemplating retiring their existing KC-10 tanker fleet early.   Development of the KC-46 has not been smooth, with budge...