Lockheed Martin is providing the US Air Force (USAF) with proposals for a large number of unmanned refuelling aircraft. In designs for the KC-Z project, a stealth tanker to refuel military stealth jets, one concept is to provide smaller unmanned aircraft, to be used in conjunction with traditional tankers, delivering fuel in high risk areas. The idea behind this approach is that it will allow more stealthy aircraft and tankers to operate at lower altitudes, which could reduce their radar cross section (RCS) or increase their ability to detect enemy radars. This means military opponents, such as Russia and China, would have to spend more resources in hunting down these smaller aircraft.
Lockheed Martin is providing the US Air Force (USAF) with proposals for a large number of unmanned refuelling aircraft. In designs for the KC-Z project, a stealth tanker to refuel military stealth jets, one concept is to provide smaller unmanned aircraft, to be used in conjunction with traditional tankers, delivering fuel in high risk areas. As well as reducing the risk to pilots, this disperses the USAF's refuelling system, making it harder for its adversaries to target. This means military opponents, such as Russia and China, would have to spend more resources in hunting down these smaller aircraft.