U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 18th Operations Group, 718th Aircraft Maintenance Unit and 18th Logistic Readiness Squadron watch as a 909th Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker is hot pit refueled for the first time in the Pacific at Kadena Air Base, Japan, March 22, 2022. Members of the 18th LRS fuels operate an R-11 refueling truck while 718th AMU members safely refuel aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Cesar J. Navarro)

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jesus Cintron Buitrago, left, 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels environmental & safety officer, helps Master Sgt. Timothy Wiseman, right, 18th LRS fuels operations section chief, reel in a fuel hose during the first KC-135 Stratotanker hot pit refueling in the Pacific at Kadena Air Base, Japan, March 22, 2022. Hot pit refueling uses a single-point refuel pump, allowing an aircraft to be refueled immediately after landing, with the engine running. This procedure is used with fighter jets frequently, but very new to the KC-135 Stratotanker, making it essential to practice and add to the long list of capabilities available to the Pacific Air Forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Cesar J. Navarro)

An airman’s personal protective gear sits on the wheel of a 909th Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker during the first KC-135 hot pit refueling in the Pacific at Kadena Air Base, Japan, March 22, 2022. This endeavor took place with the support of the 909th ARS, 909th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 18th Operations Group and 18th Logistic Readiness Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Cesar J. Navarro)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Eddy Odongpinyokene, 909th Aircraft Maintenance Unit flying crew chief, carries a fuel hose underneath a 909th Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker during the first KC-135 hot pit refueling in the Pacific at Kadena Air Base, Japan, March 22, 2022. Members of the 18th Logistic Readiness Squadron fuels operate an R-11 refueling truck while 909th AMU members safely refuel aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Cesar J. Navarro)

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jesus Cintron Buitrago, right, 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels environmental & safety officer, monitors fuel levels with Master Sgt. Timothy Wiseman, left, 18th LRS fuels operations section chief, during the first KC-135 Stratotanker hot pit refueling in the Pacific at Kadena Air Base, Japan, March 22, 2022. Hot pit refueling uses a single-point refuel pump which allows an aircraft to be refueled immediately after landing, with the engine running. This procedure is used with fighter jets frequently, but very new to the KC-135 Stratotanker, making it essential to practice and add to the long list of capabilities available to the Pacific Air Forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Cesar J. Navarro)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Eddy Odongpinyokene, 909th Aircraft Maintenance Unit flying crew chief, prepares to disconnect a fuel hose from a 909th Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker, during the first KC-135 hot pit refueling in the Pacific at Kadena Air Base, Japan, March 22, 2022. This endeavor took place with the support of the 909th ARS, 909th AMU, 18th Operations Group and 18th Logistic Readiness Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Cesar J. Navarro)

U.S. Air Force Capt. John Della Pia, right, 909th Air Refueling Squadron pilot, is marshaled by an Airman, left, from the 718th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, positioning the aircraft for the first KC-135 Stratotanker hot pit refueling taking place in the Pacific at Kadena Air Base, Japan, March 22, 2022. Hot pit refueling uses a single-point refuel pump, allowing an aircraft to be refueled immediately after landing, with the engine running. This procedure is used with fighter jets frequently, but is new to the KC-135 Stratotanker, making it essential to practice and increase capabilities available to the Pacific Air Forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Cesar J. Navarro)

U.S. Air Force Capt. John Della Pia, second from the right, 909th Air Refueling Squadron pilot, goes over plans with his crew for the first KC-135 Stratotanker hot pit refueling in the Pacific at Kadena Air Base, Japan, March 22, 2022. This endeavor was accomplished with the support of the 909th ARS, 909th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 18th Operations Group and 18th Logistic Readiness Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Cesar J. Navarro)

Airmen assigned to the 18th Wing have found another way to increase agile combat employment capabilities in the Pacific by conducting hot-pit refueling with a KC-135 Stratotanker on March 22, 2022. This event marks the first time the procedure was conducted in the Pacific Air Forces’ area of responsibility. “Air refueling in itself is a force multiplier,” said Capt. Trevor Gardner, 909th Air Refueling Squadron instructor pilot. “Hot pit refueling a KC-135 in the Pacific means anywhere a KC-135 can land and refuel serves as a force multiplier and force extender.” The KC-135 has provided over 60 years of service by refueling a variety of aircraft while in flight. In the air, the Stratotanker can transfer up to 200,000 pounds of fuel, enough to fully refuel 16.5 F-16 Fighting Falcons equipped with two external fuel tanks. “Air refueling a fighter aircraft allows them to maximize their capabilities over time as a force multiplier and to establish air superiority,” said Capt. John Della Pia, 909th Air Refueling Squadron evaluator and instructor pilot. “Increasing the KC-135’s air refueling capacity by hot-pit refueling further enables the projection of airpower, the reach of air superiority and in doing so increases agile combat employment.” Hot-pit refueling is a technique used to eliminate downtime and increase reliability. After an aircraft lands and parks; instead of powering down the engines, the aircrew keeps an engine running while the aircraft is refueled. “It maximizes efficiency in man-hours to generate a sortie,” said Della Pia. “The process enables a single aircrew to fly multiple air refueling sorties in a given duty day.” Strictly with respect to a KC-135 sortie generation, it reduces the timeline by more than 69%.” Hot-pit refueling also saves maintainer man-hours in-between sorties by not duplicating post-flight, maintenance and preflight inspections. Resulting in one-eighth of the time. Additionally, the procedure decreases the footprint of aerospace ground equipment which allows for austere operations in ACE environments. “The overall goal is to accelerate change and win,” Della Pia added. “This is a win, but there are many more lines of effort that will continue to be worked tirelessly. We are a force of highly skilled professionals that continue to refine and reinvent our craft.”