PARASITING VERSUS AERIAL REFUELING FOR SUPPORT OF COMBAT AIRCRAFT,
Abstract
Recent interest in large long-endurance support aircraft in a variety of roles, including those of tanker or mother support aircraft, makes it desirable to consider the question of parasiting versus aerial refueling on a general basis. Although detail is necessarily sacrificed, a simple, broad analysis is useful in delineating the general circumstances under which one or the other support method may be expected to be strongly preferable, as well as those for which neither method offers material advantage on the basis of the preference criteria used. This Memorandum presents a brief analysis of this type for one class of combat aircraft whose initial fuel loads are about half their gross weights. In general, aerial refueling is to be preferred for short support times or distances; parasiting for long support times or distances. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1964
- Accession Number
- AD0439093
Entities
People
- R. B. Murrow
Organizations
- RAND Corporation