Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

An Air Force spokesperson announced that the aerial tanker has "improved long distance operational capabilities and helped achieve more effective implementation, even in Dokdo island and Ieodo island”

Aerial tanker to be deployed in hands-on operations after a quality and operation check The Air Force will strive to successfully put the 3rd and 4th aerial tankers into force integration  
  

On March 27th, the Air Force held a ceremony at the 5th Air Mobility Wing (5th Wing) to mark the introduction of its second aerial refueling tanker plane (KC-330).

The KC-330, which is called Cygnus, is 60.3m in width, 58.8m in length and 17.4m in height, and can fly at a maximum speed of Mach 0.86. Its maximum cruise altitude is about 12,600m, its maximum flying range is about 15,320㎞ and its maximum fuel load is about 245,000lbs. The KC-330 can separately refuel up to ten F-15K fighters and twenty KF-16 fighters, and can carry approximately 300 crew members and 47 tons of freight.

The second KC-330 introduced on Wednesday will be deployed in hands-on operations after about a one-month quality inspection and trial operation. The introduction of aerial refueling tanker planes has enabled the Air Force to improve its operational capabilities at long distances, resulting in more effective implementation of operations in the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) such as Dokdo and Ieodo island. 

"We will pay full attention to the successful force integration of the third and fourth aerial refueling tankers as well as the second one, while recognizing that we have undertaken a key role in the defense of the Republic of Korea,” Colonel Hwang Yong-gu, air operations commander of the 5th Wing, said during the ceremony.

Beginning with the introduction of the first KC-330, which was delivered last November, the Air Force has a plan to introduce the third one this August and the fourth one this December.

By Hyun-woo, Seo <lgiant61@dema.mi.kr>
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