An air-to-air Refuelling (AAR) refuelling kit for the C-295 was extensively tested by Airbus Defence & Space (DS) with dry contact scheduled in July and helictopter AAR with an H-225M by November 2016.
A video shown during Airbus DS Head of Engineering Miquel Angel Morell’s presentation during TMB16 depicted no proximity nor stability issues issues between the helicopter and the tanker aircraft. The next step according to Morell will be industrialisation.
On A400M helicopter AAR, currently a large topic with many air forces, is currently in R&D, the main problem being proximity between the two aircraft, and the air flow behind the A400M. The A400M AAR R&D programme consists of two phases Advances Simulation &Training and Wind Tunnel Tests. has been launched with the main goal was simulation and wind tunnel tests.
The next step is to physically refuel a helictoper by the end of this year. According to the head of engineering, “following successfull completion of the R&D programme, a Flight Test Prgroamme will follow to fully validate the results of previous phases. The target is to proceed with proximity testing before end of 2016.”