Click on the appropriate panel name to display the charter for that panel.
Operations
- Provide a forum to discuss, analyze and recommend improved employment options among joint and combined tanker and receiver aircraft forces
- Review "Lessons Learned" from joint/combined forces exercises, operations and safety mishap reports to assess the effectiveness of current equipment/tactics. Highlight areas where more effective equipment/tactics need to be developed
- Identify and promote joint interoperability requirements and opportunities that will increase tanker /receiver worldwide combat capability
- Suggest action items and advisories to the steering group to convey to appropriate government, military and / or industrial organizations
Interoperability, Procedures and Documentations
Provide direction and guidance for the following technical activities:
- Develop standard technical and operational clearance procedures for both tanker and receive aircraft to permit aerial refueling between services and countries
- Establish and review common aerial refueling procedures (ATP-56) among allied tanker and receiver forces
- Monitor distribution of ATP-56 to all signatures, down to user level
- Communicate the status of new national aerial refueling tanker program initiatives
- Review "lessons learned" from joint and combined allied forces exercise operations, safety mishap reports
- Formulate minutes which include conclusions, recommendations and actions to panel members, distribute to steering committee chairmen for inclusion in overall ARSAG International, Inc Annual Conference meeting minutes
- Suggest action items and advisories to the steering group to convey to appropriate governmental, military and/or industry organizations
Industry
- To identify methods by which the aerospace industry can effectively participate in the achievement of ARSAG International’s goals. Within the organizational framework, an aerospace industry body can act as both a voice and a receptor
- Enhanced cooperation and communication between the ARSAG International, Inc. organization as a whole and its industry members can result in efficient, cost effective fulfillment of aerial refueling user’s needs. Avenues may be discovered for research and development efforts engaged jointly between the aerospace industry and defense organizations. This meeting will provide a forum for open discussions of possibilities and goals in advanced aerial refueling technology
Safety
- Analyze the aerial refueling mishap experience across the services and nations to identify and propose solutions
- Address concerns from the aerial refueling community on potential safety problems and propose solutions
Training
- Provide a forum for the free exchange of ideas related to aerial refueling training;
- Communicate the need for adequate intra-service, joint and combined forces training to insure safe aerial refueling operations;
- The aim is to promote the most effective use of assets and technology to improve the quality of aerial refueling training; and
- Suggest action items and advisories to the steering group/executive committee and ARSAG International, Inc. Board of Directors to convey to appropriate government, military and/or industrial organizations.
Reliability and Maintainability
- Monitor aerial refueling (AR) logistics studies and requirements
- Report and investigate pertinent aerial AR reliability and maintainability (R & M) issues;
- Interface with industry on R & M issues;
- Identify future U.S. and international AR R & M requirements;
- Analyze logistic data for high failure AR items;
- Review safety mishap reports for R & M impacts; and
- Suggest action items and advisories to the steering group to convey to appropriate government, military and/or industrial organizations.
System Design
- Provide a forum for discussing topics relative to DoD, industrial and international specifications and standards involving the design and test of aerial refueling systems and components primarily to maximize compatibility and interoperability of tankers and receiver aircraft
- Focus on providing recommendations for changes to existing documents and suggested design criteria for any newly developed specification or standard
- Serve as coordinator of all system design and test issues that are generated within the ARSAG International, Inc. agenda, panels and/or main group meetings
- Suggest action items and advisories to the steering group to convey to appropriate government, military and/or industrial organizations
Test and Evaluation
Objective:
- To provide a forum for open discussion of issues relating to test and evaluation of aerial refueling systems
Scope:
- Make recommendations for standardization, ground and flight test instrumentation and procedures
- Provide technical assistance in resolving problems identified by the other panels
- Encourage the use of computers and simulation to improve confidence in the operating characteristics of existing and new systems and to help reduce the cost of testing
- Conduct research into new and innovative methods for the test of aerial refueling systems
- Interface with fleet users to ensure tests are mission relatable
- Suggest action items and advisories to the steering group to convey to appropriate government, military and/or industrial organizations
- Foster open exchange of information between panels to ensure test and evaluation methodologies are in concert with the users’ and procurement agencies' needs
Advanced Concepts
- Investigate and identify the technical requirements of existing and future aerial refueling missions in terms of current technologies to determine technology gaps
- Establish focus for required new technology developments
- Provide technical assistance in resolving problems identified by other panels
- Make recommendations for new technology thrusts and future funding to support the identified technical needs
- Suggest action items and advisories to the steering group to convey to appropriate government, military and/or industrial organizations
Studies and Analysis
- Monitor aerial refueling (AR) studies
- Report pertient AR studies
- Evaluate tanker configuration and AR concepts
- Investigate AR operational and technical problems
- Identify future U.S. and International AR requirements
- Assist other panels with reports and studies pertinent to their panels
- Suggest action items and advisories for the steering group to convey to appropriate government, military and/or industrial organizations
Formation, Lighting and Markings