Omega Aerial Refueling Services Explained

Airline:	Omega Aerial Refueling Services
Iata:	-
Icao:	OME
Callsign:	OMEGA TANKER
Founded:	1999
Commenced:	2000
Bases:	San Antonio International Airport
Fleet Size:	5
Headquarters:	San Antonio, Texas, US

Omega Aerial Refueling Services Incorporated is an American aviation company that provides aerial refueling services for military customers.

History

Omega developed the first commercial aerial refueling aircraft in 1999 and has provided aerial refueling services under contract to the United States Navy since 2001.^[1] The company has also been engaged to support Royal Australian Air Force training exercises due to delays in delivery of KC-30A tankers.^{[2] [3]} In addition, Omega Air Refueling states it has been contracted to support deployments by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force.

In October 2011, the company took delivery of three additional Boeing 707-338Cs from the Royal Australian Air Force.^[4]

On April 22, 2015, one of Omega's KC-707s refueled a Northrop Grumman X-47B. The US Navy told the media this was the first time an unmanned aerial vehicle had been refueled in flight.^[5]

In November 2019, it was announced that two KDC-10 Tankers from the Royal Netherlands Air Force would be acquired, and as such additional capacity would be added, including 'boom capability' in addition to the existing 'hose and drogue' of the existing fleet. The aircraft were bought in 1995 by the RNLAF from Martinair as civilian DC-10 passenger airliners. The planes were converted to tanker aircraft. Because the planes were getting older and the RNLAF bought two A330 MRTT from Airbus, they sold their older tankers to Omega Air Refueling.

The first of the two tankers that were sold, T-264 Prins Bernard, departed on Monday, November 4, 2019, from Eindhoven Air Base in the Netherlands.^[6]

Fleet

, Omega Aerial Refueling Services operates the following aircraft:

Omega Aerial Refueling Services fleet

Aircraft	In service	Orders	Notes
Boeing KC-707-338C	2	-	N707MQ & N707GF
McDonnell Douglas KDC-10	3	-	N235UL & N264DE & N974VV
Total	5	-

Omega currently operates 2 converted Boeing KC-707-338C's (N707MQ and N707GF) and 3 converted McDonnell Douglas KDC-10's (N974VV & N264DE & N235UL). ^{[7] [8]}

Accidents and incidents

• On May 18, 2011, Omega Aerial Refueling Services Flight 70, a Boeing KC-707 tanker (registered as N707AR) was destroyed after it crashed on takeoff from Naval Base Ventura County in California. All three crew members survived.^[9]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Our Story . 9 October 2019 . Omega Aerial Refueling Services.
2. News: Airbus misses RAAF KC-30 MRTT delivery deadline. 23 June 2012. Australian Aviation. 22 December 2010.
3. Web site: US Military Contracts for Private Aerial Refueling Services. Defense Industry Daily. 4 August 2012.
4. Web site: October 23, 2011 . Former RAAF 707s flown out by Omega . Australian Aviation.
5. News: Stevenson. Beth. USN X-47B completes air-to-air refuelling test. 6 December 2015. Flightglobal. 23 April 2015.
6. Web site: 4 November 2019 . Luchtmacht neemt afscheid van eerste KDC-10 . Air Force bids farewell to first KDC-10 . Luchtvaartnieuws . nl.
7. Web site: Frequently Asked Questions. Omega Aerial Refueling Services. 24 June 2017.
8. Web site: Trevithick . Joseph . 9 April 2020 . Romanian Dictators Boeing 707 Makes First Flight In Years for Delivery to Air Refueling Firm . The Drive.
9. News: Andrew Blankstein and W.J. Hennigan. 19 May 2011. 3 hurt as refueling plane bursts into flames at Point Mugu. Los Angeles Times. 4 August 2012.