Omega Aerial Refueling Services

Omega Air Refueling is a company that provides aerial refueling services for military customers. According to the company's website, Omega developed the first commercial aerial refueling aircraft in 1999, and has provided aerial refueling services under contract to the United States Navy since 2001.[1] The company has also been engaged to support Royal Australian Air Force training exercises due to delays in delivery of KC-30A tankers.[2][3] In addition, Omega Air Refueling states it has been contracted to support deployments by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force.[1]

Omega Aerial Refueling Services
IATA ICAO Callsign
-- OME OMEGA
HeadquartersSan Antonio, Texas, USA
Websitewww.omegaairrefueling.com
One of Omega Air's Boeing 707s refuelling a Northrop Grumman X-47B in April 2015

On 18 May 2011 one of the company's KC-707 tankers, (N707AR), was destroyed after it crashed on takeoff from Naval Base Ventura County in California. All three crew members survived.[4]

In October 2011, the company took delivery of three additional Boeing 707-338Cs from the Royal Australian Air Force.[5]

On 22 April 2015 one of Omega Air's KC-707s refuelled a Northrop Grumman X-47B. The US Navy told the media this was the first time an unmanned aerial vehicle had been refuelled in flight.[6]

In November 2019 it was announced that two KDC-10 Tankers from the Royal Netherlands Air Force would be acquired and as such additional capacity would be added, including 'boom capability' in addition to the existing 'hose and drogue' of the existing fleet. The aircraft were bought in 1995 by the RNLAF from Martinair as civilian DC-10's passenger airliners. The planes were converted to tanker aircraft. Because the planes were getting older and the RNLAF bought two A330 MRTT from Airbus, they sold their older tankers to Omega Air Refueling.

The first of the two tankers that were sold, T-264 Prins Bernard, departed on Monday, November 4th 2019 from Eindhoven Air Base in the Netherlands.[7]

Fleet

As of July 2020, Omega Air Refueling operate three Boeing KC-707s and one McDonnell Douglas KDC-10. They are currently converting one 707-320 (reg. N707GF), a former Romanian VIP transport, into a KC-707 tanker. [8] [9]

Omega Air Refueling Services Fleet:
Aircraft In Fleet Orders Notes
McDonnell Douglas KDC-10 3 0
Boeing KC-707 2 1

References
  1. "About us". Omega Aerial Refueling Services. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  2. "Airbus misses RAAF KC-30 MRTT delivery deadline". Australian Aviation. 22 December 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  3. "US Military Contracts for Private Aerial Refueling Services". Defense Industry Daily. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  4. Andrew Blankstein and W.J. Hennigan (19 May 2011). "3 hurt as refueling plane bursts into flames at Point Mugu". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  5. "Former RAAF 707s flown out by Omega". Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  6. Stevenson, Beth (23 April 2015). "USN X-47B completes air-to-air refuelling test". Flightglobal. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  7. https://luchtvaartnieuws.nl/nieuws/categorie/4/militair/luchtmacht-neemt-afscheid-van-eerste-kdc-10
  8. "Frequently Asked Questions". Omega Aerial Refueling Services. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
  9. "Romanian Dictators Boeing 707 Makes First Flight In Years for Delivery to Air Refueling Firm". The Drive. Retrieved 16 July 2020.


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