EXERCISE RAMSTEIN FLAG

AIR-TO-AIR REFUELING WITH THE A330 MRTT

RAMSTEIN FLAG

AIR-TO-AIR REFUELING MISSION

Seated in a normal airliner seat, watching the sun set over the North Sea, I can see a four ship F-35 from the RNLAF catch up the plane from below. A few minutes later they are floating next to our port wing. The formation is so stable that it seems like all of us are standing still. Watching air-to-air refueling from a close distance is an experience that leaves a lasting impression.

From coupling the probe to flying out, it all seems so effortless and routine. Only the realisation that both of us are moving through turbulent air at 400 mph, makes you appreciate the level of professionalism, skill and training involved to make this work.

A story about Air-to-Air Refueling during Ramstein Flag 2025, onboard an Airbus A330 MRTT from the MMU unit at Eindhoven Air Base. Ramstein Flag is a live-fly exercise conducted by NATO Allied Air Command (AIRCOM) and the Netherlands Air Force from 31 March 2025 until 11 April 2025

Formation lfight of 3 RAF Eurofighter Typhoon after Air-to-Air refuleing over the North Sea.

WAITING IN FORMATION

NORTH SEA | 2 APRIL 2025

Netherlands Air Force F-35 Air to Air During sunset over the Northe Sea. Dusing Ramstein Flag

Pastel Palette

NORTH SEA | 2 APRIL 2025

RNLAF F-35 DUO

NORTH SEA | 2 APRIL 2025

RAMSTEIN FLAG

FIGHTER JETS ABOVE THE NORTH SEA

RAMSTEIN FLAG

THE EXERCISE

The Ramstein Flag exercise is a large-scale tactical-level live-fly exercise conducted by NATO Allied Air Command (AIRCOM). The 2025 edition is hosted by the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) and jointly conducted by the RNLAF and AIRCOM. The Goal of Ramstein flag is to ensure the air component’s readiness to respond rapidly in Article 5 scenarios, where NATO’s collective defence commitments are required.

That is one of the reasons why a massive number of 90 aircraft participated in Ramstein Flag 2025. Operating from 12 air bases, Ramstein Flag is held over a large training area over the North Sea. In the area West of Denmark and North of the Netherlands swarms of the most advanced combat aircraft in the world take part in daily missions that lasted from March 31 until April 11 2025.

AIR-TO-AIR REFUELING

RAMSTEIN FLAG 2025

Contrary to many earlier editions of the Ramstein Flag Exercise, the training area over the North Sea is not necessarily very close for the participating fighter aircraft. This makes Air-to-Air refueling during Ramstein Flaga vital part of all the missions. If not for training purposes, in many cases also an absolute necessity to execute the mission successfully or to return to base with an adequate fuel load.

Ramstein Flag

Air-to-air tankers

To facilitate adequate air-to-air refueling capacity, for every mission held in the afternoon and in the evening, three air-to-air refueling zones have been set up for the Ramstein Flag exercise. The first one above the North Sea between the UK and the Netherlands, the second one north of the Dutch Waddeneilanden and the third one off the coast of West Denmark.

In total five different NATO Air-to-Air tanker types have been deployed for Ramstein Flag:

MMU A330 MRTT (Eindhoven and Cologne)
Royal Air Force (RAF) A330 MRTT (RAF Brize Norton)
US Air Force (USAF) KC-135 from (RAF Mildenhall)
Italian Air Force (AMI) KC-767A (Pratica di Mare)
Canadian AF (RCAF) CC-150T Polaris (Eindhoven)

SEA AND AIR

North Sea | 2 April 2025

RNLAF F-35 WAITING FOR THEIR TURN TO BE REFUELED

NORTH SEA | 2 APRIL 2025

THREE SHIP

North Sea | 2 April 2025

MMU

THE MULTINATIONAL MRTT UNIT

MMU

NATO’S AIRCRAFT POOL FOR TANKER AND TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT

Following an initiative from European Defense Agency in 2011 to increase European air-to-air refueling (AAR) capabilities, Luxembourg and the Netherlands ordered 2 A330 MRTT aircraft initially. For the Netherlands it was primarily meant to replace the ageing KDC-10 air-to air tanker.

Following the lead of the Netherlands and Luxembourg 6 NATO countries have ordered a total of 10 Airbus A330 MRTT tankers, of which all ten are registered with the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF). The first A330 arrived at Eindhoven Air Base on June 30, 2020. 5 of the delivered aircraft are based at the main operating base Eindhoven Air Force. The other 4 are based at forward operating base Cologne. The six participating countries collaborate on all aspects of operating and buying the fleet.

An Aribus A330 MRTT form the RNLAF operated MMU unit

TAKING TURNS

The participating countries, are allocated a specific number of flight hours annually, based on their investment in the program. A330 MRTT from MMU are also used for

Netherlands (2,000 hours)
Germany (5,500 hours)
Belgium (1,000 hours)
Luxembourg (1,200 hours)
Norway (100 hours)
Czech Republic (100 hours).

AIRBUS A330 MRTT

THE TANKER TRANSPORT WORKHORSE

The Airbus A330 MRTT is based on the Airbus A330-200 and was designed to fulfil a dual role. As an air-to-air refuelling aircraft and as a transport aircraft. For air-to-air refuelling missions, the A330 MRTT is equipped with two refueling systems. First of all, a central boom under the tail to refuel types like F-16, F-35, F-15, C-17 and E-3 AWACS. The second system are two probe and drogue hoses fitted to each wing. The probe and drogue system is used to refuel types like the Eurofighter, Tornado and Mirage 2000 and Rafale.

The A330 MRTT is operated by a flight crew of two and an AAR operator/Loadmaster (ARO) that takes care of the refueling. Contrary to the KDC-10 and the KC-135, the AAR operator (ARO) is not located in the tail of the plane to operate the booms by viewing through a window. Instead, the AAR operator controls all the Air-to-Air refueling from behind a console in the cockpit. Of course this takes away a bit of the charm, but with current technology this works just as well or even better than the visual means.

Besides Air-to-Air refueling, the A330 can transport 267 passengers, but can also be converted into a flying hospital for medical evacuations (MEDEVAC). One of the A330 MRTT in Cologne is on constant stand by basis as a MEDEVAC plane.

AIRBUS A330 MRTT

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Length 58,80m
Wingspan 60,3m
Height 17,4m
Empty weight 125.000kg
Max take-off weight 233.000kg
Powerplant 2 Rolls-Royce Trent 772B turbofans
Cruising speed 880 km/h (546 mph)
Maximum range 7242km (4500nm)
Payload 45,000 kg non-fuel payload
Fuel capacity 111.000kg

AIR-TO-AIR PHOTOGRAPHY

WITH AN AIR-TO-AIR TANKER

THE MISSION

I had the opportunity to observe Air-to-Air refueling during Ramstein Flag with one of the MMU AAR mission during Ramstein Flag 2025. Flight MMF91 was operated by A330 MRTT T-056 delivered in November 2020.

In a total flying time of 3,5 hours the crew refueled 4 RNLAF F-35 over the Waddenzee and 4 RAF Eurofighter Typhoon off the coast of Denmark before we returned to Eindhoven Air Base.

THE EXPERIENCE

I always like my photography to be challenging, in whichever way that comes. It keeps you on your toes and makes the reward of getting a good shot much higher.

Flight MMF91 with the A330 MRTT surely fell in this chapter. I have done air-to-air photography before, but never from the confined space with small windows of an airliner cabin that the A330 MRTT has. The MMU had done an outstanding job of cleaning the windows and was considerate to dim the cabin lights during the shoot. But still the windows distort the image and still reflect light from outside. As a result, it is quite tricky to get a picture free from halos and sharp from edge to edge.

But all this is compensated generously by the submerging yourself in the sheer professionalism of the crews inn the A330 MRTT and the fighter jets. Watching State-of-the-Art F-35 floating a few meters from your window is a sight that makes a lasting impression.

FINAL NOTE

Make sure you also read my other aviation stories.
Especially my report of Low Level Flying in Greece .

Please visit my webshop to find all the professional prints, canvas and acrylic prints you can order from air-to-air refueling during Ramstein Flag and more. Follow me on Instagram for more aviation content

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