F-35B Hot Pit Refueling

09/09/2013

09/08/2013: This past May, the Marines practiced hot pit refueling at Eglin. 

This is a technique to generate more combat capability through a ramp up of sortie generation rates.

One might note the seamless engagement of a UK pilot in the exercise.

 Hot pit refueling is a procedure usually performed in a combat situation to rapidly refuel aircraft while their engines are running resulting in a speedy refuel to thrust pilots right back into the fight.

 http://www.shaw.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123327665

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 These photos were shot in May 2013 by Karen Roganov, PAO of the 33rd Fighter Wing.