Air-to-air refueling is a method of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another in mid-air. The fuel transferring aircraft is known as the tanker, while the receiving aircraft is known as the receiver. This process is primarily adopted by military personnel. Air-to-air refueling comprises mainly two systems: probe-and-drogue system and boom refueling system. The probe & drogue system consists of a refueling hose, a hose-end coupling, and a drogue. The air-to-air refueling market size is projected to grow from an estimated USD 501 million in 2020 to USD 851 million by 2025, at a CAGR of 11.2% during the forecast period. The growth of the air-to-air refueling market is majorly attributed to the increasing demand for combat aircraft and military spending of various countries.
Agreements, collaborations, new product developments, contracts, expansion, acquisitions, and partnerships are among some of the key strategies adopted by the leading market players to strengthen and sustain their position in the air-to-air refueling market. For instance, In December 2020, Boeing and the US Navy, for the first time, flew the MQ-25 T1 test asset with an aerial refueling store (ARS), a significant milestone in the development of the unmanned aerial refueling tanker.
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Major Air-to-Air Refueling Companies Include:
These key players offer air-to-air refueling systems for different platforms and have well-equipped and strong distribution networks across the North American, European, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World (the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa).
Cobham plc (UK)
Cobham plc is the leading player in the air-to-air refueling market. The company focuses on the expansion of its existing activities through acquisitions and contracts. For instance, it acquired the Cropmead facility of the British aerospace and defense company Tods Aerospace in May 2020 to strengthen its core aerospace and defense business. Cobham is also focused on the development of air-to-air refueling systems. In December 2020, Cobham plc confirmed its underwing mounted refueling buddy store was carried for the first time during a successful test flight of Boeing’s MQ-25 test asset, known as T1.
Eaton Corporation (US)
Eaton Corporation is ranked second in the air-to-air refueling market. The company has extended its capabilities by gaining various long-term contracts from its customers. The company aims at entering into new contracts and other collaborations, agreements, and acquisitions with leading market players worldwide. For instance, in February 2021, it announced the signing of an agreement to acquire Cobham Mission Systems, a leading manufacturer of air-to-air refueling systems, environmental systems, and actuation primarily for defense markets.
Airbus (Netherlands)
Airbus is another major player in the air-to-air refueling market. It focuses on new product developments to enhance its customer base across the globe. In April 2020, Airbus achieved the first-ever fully automatic air-to-air refueling (A3R) operation with a boom system. The flight test campaign, conducted earlier in the year over the Atlantic Ocean, involved an Airbus tanker test aircraft equipped with the Airbus A3R solution, with an F-16 fighter aircraft of the Portuguese Air Force acting as a receiver. The company has a significant presence in the air-to-air refueling market, especially in the North American and European regions.
Related Reports:
Air-to-Air Refueling Market by System (Probe & Drogue, Boom Refueling, Autonomous), Component (Pumps, Valves, Hoses, Boom, Probes, Fuel Tanks, Pods), Aircraft Type (Fixed, Rotary), Type (Manned, Unmanned), End User, Region - Global Forecast to 2025
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