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I was wondering if any airforce using F-16's (or other type of jets) ever preformed weapon loadings during the hotpit refueling (for example loading practise bombs) like they do with AH64's at FARP's.

If so, what procedure is used and what type of weapons were loaded? All this happening while the jets engine is running!

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Elite 1K Joined: Apr 26, 2004 Posts: 1215 Status: Offline

That is a big no no while refueling.......

ummmm we did it quite often at kadena with 15's

Purplehaze wrote:

Tha is a big no no while refueling.......

Agree on that. Guess they could do it after the refueling but before the EPU run.

Quote:

ummmm we did it quite often at kadena with 15's

What kind of weaponary was used? Did they turn off one engine at the working side?

Elite 2K Joined: Oct 20, 2005 Posts: 2103 Status: Offline

At least in case of F-16 deployments to the 332nd AEW at Balad AB, Iraq, I never saw any picture related to re-arming weapon loadouts during "hotpit refueling". At least in my eyes, "Hot-Pit Refueling" is a mode to launch a combat jet (already armed from his first assigned mission) for another combat sortie. Please note: This personal viewpoint is special-related to A/OA-10A Thunderbolt II ("Warthog") OEF/OIF deployments. Anybody USAF member who can/will clear-up some more details of this very important question?

Hot Pit Refueling is a process where an aircraft comes back from a sortie and taxies to a pre-determined location where the aircraft is refueled while the pilot is still in the seat and the engine is still running. I have been part of a Hot Pit team numerous times early in my career. Using the "pits" does make turning the aircraft faster. We use to fly one sortie, then pit the aircraft, then send the aircraft back up for a second sortie. The "pits" allow for some pretty good sortie generation numbers.

nasty11 wrote:

Purplehaze wrote:

Tha is a big no no while refueling.......

Agree on that. Guess they could do it after the refueling but before the EPU run.

Quote:

ummmm we did it quite often at kadena with 15's

What kind of weaponary was used? Did they turn off one engine at the working side?

sorry i misread the original. You are correct, big no no to "hot" refuel while loading munitions.

Gotta agree, HUGE no-no, But the Israelis use to lay matress's on the taxiway and blow of their empty stores onto them then continue taxi to the spot. At least thats what they told us they would do after some sorties.

Tim wrote:

Gotta agree, HUGE no-no, But the Israelis use to lay matress's on the taxiway and blow of their empty stores onto them then continue taxi to the spot. At least thats what they told us they would do after some sorties.

I´d like to see that in real. Dropping your GBU-10´s on a matrass.... tail unfolding due to strongpoint arming wire's, that will create a mess.

Accoording to the above I think no Air Force ever tried to reload the Jet on a specified spot with BDU's, LGTR's en reset the rounds counter, after refueling in the hotpit lane.

Does it ever occour that a F-16 (or other jet) preforms the hotpit refueling proces inbetween 2 missions where they dropped BDU's and used the GUN in the first? I'm just wondering how they cope with the jet and the safety (forward firing weapons issue, etc) .

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Weapon loading during the hotpit procedure