The air forces of and the Czech Republic completed the first in-flight refueling exercise (REVO) with the Airbus A400M freighter and the Saab JAS-39 Gripen fighter. The unprecedented operation is part of the A400 certification process.
According to the Czech Air Force (CzAF), the event took place on April 28 over the city of Chemnitz, in southeastern . The A400 registration 54 + 15 and callsign PRIMER 62 refueled the JAS-39D Gripen registration 9820, with the callsign CEF317.
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The REVO lasted 40 minutes and took place at an altitude of 16 feet (just over 4876 meters) and around 560 km/h (300 knots), accompanied by a Tornado IDS from the Luftwaffe itself. The pilot of the Czech Gripen experimented with different positions, making with the two hoses of the German aircraft.
However, this was not the first REVO between a Gripen and an A400. The CzAF explains that the supply certification between the two aircraft began in September 2021, between the Luftwaffe and Flygvapnet (Swedish Air Force).
deployed the A400 54 + 27 of Lufttransportgeschwader 62 (Air Transport Wing) to northern Sweden, where a two-week campaign was conducted with JAS-39C/D fighters from Flygvapnet's Gripen Test Wing (TUJAS). Seven resupply flights were carried out, where the Gripens made s in different configurations, armed and unarmed, day and night.
This first campaign allowed the Swedish Armaments istration (FMV) to issue a regulation where it describes the entire REVO procedure between the Gripen and the A400, being made available to other Gripen s. The Czechs were the first to employ the guidelines operationally.
“Air-to-air refueling (AAR) is currently one of the standard skills of Czech pilots, but it needs to be constantly maintained. Every pilot certified for AAR operations must carry out the so-called wet at least once every six months, so that he does not lose the relevant authorization and does not have to complete all the training again”, explains the CzAF
“The Czech Armed Forces Air Force uses a broad portfolio of refueling aircraft, located in Europe and capable of refueling by the “Probe and Drogue” method, i.e. the hose-basket system, to meet training curricula or needs operational.”
However, the Czech Republic does not have tankers. Its main partners in REVO missions are Sweden with the Tp.84 (C-130), with the A310 MRTT (and now the A400M), and the USA with the KC-135R and Italy with the KC-767. But the availability of the necessary aircraft is not always guaranteed and the Air Force must plan operations in advance.
“For the Czech Air Force, this is an important continuation of the cooperation with the German Luftwaffe, which has long supplied its A310MRTT tankers for training Czech pilots,” highlights the organization.
The CzAF also states that the next event is the certification for REVO between the A330 MRTT and the Gripen, something that will also be carried out in the future by Brazilian air force.
“TUJAS will again be responsible for this process and, after its completion, the Czech Gripen will finally be able to use TUJAS aircraft. Multinational Fleet of Multipurpose Refueling and Transport Aircraft of NATO.”
The Czech Republic deploys 14 Gripen fighters (12 JAS-39C and two JAS-39D) with the 211th Tactical Squadron from the 21st Tactical Air Base. The aircraft were leased from Saab as replacements for the older MiG-21 Fishbed. The current contract covers the leasing of the fighters until 2027.
