Jay Clemens
Cobham’s air-to-air refueling system has worked to facilitate in-flight refueling for three Bell–Boeing CV-22 Osprey aircraft of the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command under attack during a rescue mission in South Sudan.
The CV-22s sustained substantial system damages from attacks by hostile forces after the AFSOC rescue team tried to leave a UN compound in South Sudan in December 2013, Cobham said Monday.
The AFSOC team performed several in-flight refueling procedures to extend the operational life of the CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft in the air in order to return to its base.
CV-22 is built with a Cobham telescopic probe for refueling from hose and drogue equipped tankers.
The AFSOC crew received the Mackay Trophy from the National Aeronautic Association for completing the rescue operation in late 2013.
