Auto probe/drouge refueling demonstration
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-Y7fhIasjM

Interesting concept and I imagine quite a few different ways to accomplish this feat; but I'm curious to the cost effectiveness of such a system, the perceived need (I'd much rather have had a precision approach capability), and the usefulness in other than benign weather conditions when that drouge is moving all over the place!

I don't imagine this is being tested and developed for manned systems at all. I know some of UCAV DT&E systems were integrated into F-18s for carrier suitability simply to test the capabilities. USMC you know as well as I do, we'll never see ILS in an F-18 that isn't painted blue. :)

There is talks about this being done on other aircraft. They referenced the F18 demo and also X47. It wouldn't be that hard to implement with an optical tracker in a fly-by-wire aircraft. Reduce the number of ripped of probes or baskets, no more sour tankers, reduction in training.

I gave up on ILSs along time ago :D
Even the SWWGs were migrating to JPALS before I left!

Not to worry though - I fly enough ILSs now to make up for all the lost time :eek:

Optical tracker huh?
Hmmmmm....like I said - I don't know anything about this system, but I'm remembering the times when the basket is bobbing and weaving like Floyd Mayweather and it takes a lot of timing, skill, with two pinches of luck just to get into the basket (after many failed approaches). Maybe it will end up being like the proverbial solar powered PARs :cool:

Ehhh, who needs stick 'n rudder skills anymore when George can do it better! Now I realize the movie Terminator wasn't fiction.

I hear ya, I don't know the cost/benefit is worth spending a ton of money implementing a software/hardware(if needed) change to existing airframes for the amount of in-flight refueling mishaps that do occur.

As USMC said, I don't know that any auto refueling system is going to mitigate the 'moving target' aspect, much like we can't and don't use ACLS at the boat when the deck is pitching +/-10-15', it just doesn't work well. Neat concept though...would be nice to launch off the front end, couple up to the tanker before pressing on with the mission. Then again, how fun is that at night? :)

Could have used something like that here. Wonder if it works in IMC.

https://youtu.be/6yRQVliBPns

There would be limits, and you can't program luck. A tracker would likely be able to notice, process, and correct much faster than we could ever do it. Another option would be to change the control laws in close to be able to make uncoupled pure lateral and vertical corrections and make the throttle an acceleration command. There are things that can be done to make it easier. While ILS will likely never make it on legacy aircraft, it is likely that no one asked about it early days. There are many more things to that could have been different on newer aircraft if it was asked for while still in development.

I also don't think we are far from an airplane capability on the boat. Not sure while ACLS can't be used, I'll see what I can find out.

Good video and depiction of how much that drouge can move around without any influence from the receiver.

That is the first video I've seen of a MV-22 refueling (and I'm assuming from another MV-22)? I don't recognize the setup from the viewer's sight picture.

It's over the Atlantic from the boom operator's window of a KC-10.