AIRPLAN AAR is arranged in eleven modular sub-programs. Six of these calculate solutions for the main, different types of air-to-air refuelling operation that users may need to plan or evaluate. The seventh and eighth calculate Block Speed and Fuel Consumption (these latter calculation tables are also for use with AIRPLAN MAOP, MFA and Airlift). Three modules are amendable databases in which to store key, receiver and tanker aircraft performance data - also tanker aircraft store fitments and fuel transfer capabilities.

AAR calculation programs contained in the AIRPLAN Air Refuelling Planning_v3 application briefly summarised, as follows:

• Receiver Aircraft Database. The user can enter and store relevant performance data for up to 18 fixed-wing and rotary-wing AAR-capable receiver aircraft. Aircraft can be added or removed from the database as required. Calculation modules within AIRPLAN AAR automatically draw on data stored within the Receiver database. Program users should amend speed and fuel data therein so that they are correct for whatever mission package is being planned (Note. Receiver aircraft performance and characteristics data shown in screen shots of the Receiver Database, below, are illustrative only and should not be taken as accurate).
   

• Tanker Aircraft Database. Planners enter and store required performance data for up to 18 different types of tanker. These data can be amended as required. Calculation modules within AIRPLAN AAR automatically draw on data stored within the Tanker database for calculations in the six program modules. (Note. Tanker aircraft performance and characteristics data shown in screen shots of the Tanker Database, below, are illustrative only and should not be taken as accurate).
   

• Tanker Capabilities Database. This contains data obtained by AIRPLAN from source documents in the public domain including from Allied Tactical Publication ATP56(A) and other Internet-based sources on tanker AR store fitments, fuel capacities, fuel flow rates and other data relating to US, NATO, Allied and other military and civil-operated tankers.

These will be up-dated and added to on feed-back from AIRPLAN users, whenever ATP-56A is amended and as fresh information becomes otherwise available.
 

• En Route Deployment AAR (i.e. the deployment of receiver aircraft over long distances assisted by tankers using three different, alternative tanker support techniques)  The program simultaneously calculates the number of tankers required when using each of the three techniques. The output provides planners with quantified data upon which to base decisions as to which is the most suitable for the particular operational situation.
   

• Medium Range, Radius-of-Action AAR (i.e. extending the radius of action and penetration depth of strike, reconnaissance, ground attack, suppression of enemy air defences, tactical transport and other operational roles requiring to attack or reconnoitre distant targets or carry out long range air drops beyond the un-refuelled range of these aircraft). AIRPLAN calculates the minimum number of tankers required for the outward and homebound legs. It quantifies different tanker employment options and consequences, and calculates fuel requirements and timing.
   

• AAR support to Combat Air Patrols (CAP) and other Patrols (e.g. maritime patrol, AWACS, ELINT, etc.). AIRPLAN AAR Calculates the number of tanker sorties required, the intervals at which tankers should be relieved, sortie durations, the fuel masses transferred and consumed by tankers and receivers, the maximum number or receivers supportable by each tanker, the optimum AAR interval for refuelling receivers, etc.. Operational requirements can be calculated for any required period (e.g. 2 days, 7 days, 28 days, etc.)
   

• Very Long Range, Radius-of-Action AAR (i.e. the air refuelling of receiver aircraft by tankers over oceans or geographical areas where tankers cannot be based along the route [for political, geographical or other reasons] and all tanker support has to come from one end of the route [e.g. as in RAF AAR-supported operations from Ascension Island to the Falkland Islands and return, non-stop, in 1982; and by certain USAF long-range, radius-of-action operations, since then]. AIRPLAN AAR calculates the minimum number of tankers required (including tankers to refuel tankers when necessary), the fuel mass transferred, the timing of each tanker wave and the timing of receiver aircraft sorties to and from the destination.
   

• Air Bridge AAR (i.e. the long range deployment of a stream or number of formations of aircraft, air refuelled in up to eight refuelling areas en route). AIRPLAN AAR calculates tanker and fuel requirements, the minimum recommended streaming interval between individual receiver aircraft or formations, and many other data. It provides an alternative and is supplementary to the En Route Deployment AAR calculation module already described in the fourth bullet.
   

• AAR support to Expeditionary Air Operations. The program calculates three alternative methods of providing AR support: [1] the air-to-air refuelling of forward based tactical tankers by larger capacity tankers, [2] the air-to-air refuelling of forward-deployed, FOB-based tactical aircraft or helicopters by loitering tankers, or [3] the refuelling of temporary or permanent fuel farms at Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) or the refuelling of aircraft on the ground at FOBs by tactical tankers able to operate from a Forward Mounting Base (FMB) in the FOB. The program calculates the number of tankers required, the interval between sorties, the required tanker and receiver sortie schedules [take-off time from base airfield, ETA Air Refuelling Area, Off-Task time, and ETA Base] and the timing of each refuelling as well as the mass of fuel transferred.
   

• Block Speed Calculator. Assists planners (whether using AIRPLAN AAR, AIRPLAN MAOP or AIRPLAN MFA) to calculate accurate sortie block speeds (from take-off to landing) over medium or long distances taking into account speed variations during up to eleven flight segments including: the initial climb, up to six different cruise phases, two air-to-air refuelling segments, the descent and final instrument approach and landing. Head wind and tail wind vectors can be applied to increase the accuracy of calculated Block Speeds.
   

• Fuel Burn Calculator. Automatically linked to the Block Speed calculator and designed to enable planners to calculate more accurate sortie fuel consumption and required air-to-air fuel transfer masses (when this is critical) for sorties consisting of up to eleven flight segments. Includes the ability, when calculating tanker fuel consumption and endurance, to take account of fuel masses transferred to receiver aircraft as well as fuel consumed by tankers' own engines.

Input and Results Data. In each of the program modules described against the 4th to 9th bullets, there are ‘Input Data’ pages and ‘Results’ (output data) pages. Having entered the data required into the Input data pages appropriate to the type of operation (n.b. the number of input data to be entered is the absolute minimum necessary to carry out required calculations), the user then selects the Results pages where full results (for receiver as well as for tanker aircraft) are instantly displayed. There is no 'running time' to wait for results. Importantly, whenever a planner is at all unsure about the exact accuracy of any data input, the user can vary the data, singly or in combination, to observe (immediately) whether such changes have a significant effect upon output data. Having obtained results using the AIRPLAN AAR program, the user can, if desired, next enter relevant data into either the AIRPLAN MAOP or MFA programs to calculate the minimum tanker or receiver fleet sizes and the minimum number of aircrews required to sustain continuous operations for any defined period (for example, for 3 days, or for 4 weeks).

Title Page    (Please scroll down the page to view all the Air Refuelling Planning_v3 displays)

The program is written in Microsoft Excel. The opening Title page is seen below. There is a button to select the Main Menu. It also displays the military organisation or commercial company to whom the program is licensed (not shown in the example). It also states the Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights of the owner of all AIRPLAN programs.

 Main Menu

The Main Menu page shows the arrangement of the AIRPLAN AAR application and enables the user to access each of the six main AAR program modules (contained within menu boxes), two additional calculation modules (Block Speed and Fuel Burn) and three databases (Receiver, Tanker and Tanker Capabilities). A further button at the foot of the page will return you to the Title page (Close Program). Note that the Receiver Database button is Red, and the Tanker and Tanker Capabilities databases are Green. These follow colour coding rules explained below.

Wherever possible, colour-coding for Receiver and Tanker aircraft is repeated throughout the program to distinguish the two roles: Red for Receivers and Green for Tankers. This is helpful, especially when an airplane type is common to both the Receiver and Tanker roles. It also provides a useful reminder when entering data into Input tables, especially when amending entries in the Tanker and Receiver databases.

Cells with a White background are usually (but not in every case) the only cells into which data can and should be entered. Cells with a Yellow background usually contain output (results) data calculated by AIRPLAN AAR. Blue text or cell backgrounds refer to data common to both Tankers and Receivers.

IMPORTANT NOTE. All sample data shown in the above example of the Receiver Aircraft Database are illustrative, only. They are not necessarily accurate and serve only to demonstrate the content and function of the AIRPLAN AAR program.

In long range deployment operations, receiver aircraft have to transit from one base to another over a distance beyond their prudent un-refuelled range (the aircraft's maximum prudent range, allowing reserves for diversion, etc. is shown in the yellow cell at the top of the page). It has automatically been extracted by AIRPLAN AAR from the Receiver Database. AIRPLAN calculations make provision for three alternative ways in which AAR support might be given to receivers on this type of operation, plus a further variation requiring a Yes/No answer, three cells from the bottom of the page. AIRPLAN AAR automatically calculates the number of tankers and fuel required for each of these options. The planner then has sufficient quantitative information upon which to decide the most appropriate employment option. The planner first selects or enters the required input data for receiver and tanker aircraft and enters mission data into cells with a white background. Note that where the background colour of a cell is Yellow the AIRPLAN AAR program has automatically calculated the contents so as to reduce data entry time and effort. This applies, also, for example, to the 'Receiver A/c un-refuelled range', ‘Calculated Minimum No. of AAR transfers essential’ and the ‘Calculated Final Leg Distance’ cells.

Very Long Range AAR – Input Data Page

The screen shot above shows the Input Data page for 'Very Long-Range, Radius-of-Action' AAR missions. A diagram near the bottom of the screen shows a typical scenario for such an operation. Tanker aircraft refuel receivers both outbound and inbound. "Very long-range" is assumed typically to be a radius of action of 2,000 to 4,000 nautical miles.

The ‘Bracket’ points (B1, B2, B3 and B4) are locations at which a particular tanker or tankers, directly supporting a receiver or receivers, is/are relieved by another or other tankers. In very-long range operations, tankers may well have to refuel other tankers to enable them to reach one of the refuelling brackets with sufficient fuel to transfer adequate fuel to the receivers they are supporting, without themselves running short of fuel (e.g. between B1 and B2). AIRPLAN AAR automatically calculates and includes in the overall total, the numbers of tankers to achieve such a tanker relay and recovery operation, safely.

At B2 (or whichever is the last outbound Bracket number), the direct support tanker fills up the receiver or receivers and they proceed to the target (or drop zone) and then return to be refuelled by a fresh tanker or tankers at B3 (or whichever is the first inbound Bracket number).

AIRPLAN AAR allows a planner to stipulate the lowest percentage fuel tank contents level to which a receiver aircraft will be allowed to fall before being refuelled.

The program can also calculate the timing of the whole operation to enable receiver aircraft to meet a stipulated time on target at the farthest point. It also automatically warns the planner should any input data result in an unachievable mission.

The Results page for very long range (VLR) AAR operations is shown above. Without AIRPLAN AAR, it is very time-consuming to determine whether such an operation is feasible and at what cost in terms of tanker employment. AIRPLAN AAR program enables one person to complete the initial calculation and planning process within a few minutes. The Results page includes all necessary output data on the number of tanker refuelling brackets, the number of tankers per bracket, the distance and flight times between brackets, and the number of hook-ups required. It also calculates the number of tankers required per wave, the mass of fuel transferred to receivers, the tanker and receiver reserves on return to base, and other useful data. In addition, it calculates the dates and times of departure and arrival of receivers and tankers based on the receiver’s required date and time of arrival on target.

The Air Bridge AAR Support module calculates comprehensive output data for up to six air-to-air refuelling areas (AARA) and air refuelling control points (ARCP) spaced along the length of an air bridge route. As for all other Air Refuelling Planning input data worksheets, the first action should be to up-date data within the Tanker and Receiver aircraft Databases to ensure that all data therein are relevant to the planned operation. Next, begin to input all the tanker and receiver data required. Most data requirements are self-evident. In the fifth cell to be completed, the number of aircraft per wave of formation is the number of receiver aircraft per group or wave that will fly together, in formation. There could, for example, be four waves or groups of aircraft with two aircraft in each group, a total of eight aircraft. The program assumes that each of these waves will be refuelled as a group. A tanker might refuel two a/c and then the other two. Alternatively, aircraft would be refuelled individually if receivers were supported by a boom equipped tanker.

Note that the third (and sixth) lines of the table allow you to enter tailwind (+) and headwind (-) components along the route track. If you do not wish to enter any wind components, enter zeros. Especially if a headwind is forecast or normally expected along the deployment route, it is prudent to enter this for each route segment in the cells provided. The AIRPLAN AAR program will automatically calculate the effect that the wind component entered will have upon the flight time of each route segment and the mass of fuel consumed by the receiver (this is displayed on the Results 2 page).

Expeditionary Force Operation Scenario Overview. A separate display page illustrates the three Scenarios that the Airplan AAR program simultaneously calculates. Broadly, the operational concept could be defensive where (for example) the planner decides to deploy forces into or close to foreign territory in order to rescue national civilian or military personnel whose safety is under threat in another country. Airplan enables you to plan rescue missions, aided by tanker aircraft, to up to eight different locations, simultaneously. Alternatively, Airplan enables planners to plan offensive and/ or (for example) airlift or reconnaissance operations, to up to eight different DZs (DVs) or targets, or along up to eight different routes, simultaneously.

Expeditionary Force Operations - Receiver A/c Input Data

This page caters for up to eight separate routes to targets, dropping zones and forward landing strips or helicopter landing sites. Use this page to input all the receiver a/c input data required regardless of which of the three scenarios is the one you intend to adopt. If any adjustment of input data is required should you decide to opt to carry out missions in accordance with Scenario 2 as compared with Scenarios 1 and 3 - which have major similarities - a Warning message will make you aware if such adjustments are necessary. 

Note that there are red ‘ticks’ in the top right corner of cells containing the description of input data required. By placing the mouse over these ticks you will be able to read helpful guidance on data inputs. 

Finally, note that in the top right corner of the page is a key entitled “Calculate Expeditionary Operations”. If you have already inserted the Tanker Input Data for expeditionary Operations (see below), select this key and the operation timing schedule will be calculated. If you have not yet input Tanker data, the user should not press this key but the similar one on the Tanker Input data page (there are also comprehensive User Guides for all AIRPLAN programs).

Expeditionary Force Operations - Tanker Input Data

This is the only page on which to enter tanker aircraft input data for engagement in Scenarios 1, 2 and/or 3 of Expeditionary Operations. As on the previous page, the Tanker input data page has many red ‘ticks’ that you can place the mouse over in order to receive more detailed guidance and tips on entering data.

Expeditionary Force Operations - Scenario 1 - Tanker Results

Scenario 1 Tanker results are self-explanatory. They include data for the Main Tanker(s) that transport fuel from a rear mounting base to the Forward Operating Base (FOB) AARA where fuel is transferred to a succession of Tactical Air/Ground Tankers (sibling tankers) that take fuel from the Main tanker, return to the FOB and either transfer it directly to tactical f/w aircraft or helicopters or into bowsers or temporary / permanent fuel farm storage (it being assumed that there is insufficient fuel available at the FOB for use by a/c that have deployed there).

Expeditionary Force Operations - Scenarios 1 - Receiver Results (same results as for Scenario 3)

Expeditionary Force Operations - Scenario 1 - Table 1 - FOB Ground Refuelling Schedule

Table 1 vertically lists a series of mission route letter (A-H) and refuelling serial numbers of receiver aircraft (e.g. B1, G1, etc). The order in which these are arranged in the table will be the chronological order in which these missions arrive at the FOB for refuelling. The times at which they are predicted to arrive are listed to the right, in Col (3). The user is reminded that AIRPLAN AAR Expeditionary Ops program assumes that aircraft need to complete as many mission as they can in the shortest possible time (e.g. to deploy troops or rescue civilians) and aircraft are therefore not refuelled at the FOB until they have too little fuel to complete a further sortie and return to the FOB again, with not less than their stipulated minimum fuel reserve. Col (4) shows the mass of fuel to be given to each mission (N.B. If there is more than one a/c in a mission, the amount of fuel shown will be the total required by all a/c comprising the mission) . Col (5) shows the progressive cumulative mass of fuel required for refuelling at the FOB.  In Col (6) is shown the serial number of Main Tanker sorties able to meet the cumulative fuel demand. Hence, when the number in Col (6) increases from 1 to 2 (et sec) this indicates the the 1^st tanker sortie cannot fully meet the fuel mass needs of the next receiver mission in sequence, and the required fuel will therefore have to be be delivered by Main Tanker sortie number 2.  Col (7) shows the time by which Tanker sortie Number 2 will have to land at the FOB. This time is entered by the user on the Tanker Input data page and is normally is normally about 15 to 45 minutes before the deadline, to allow time for de-fuelling arrangements to be set up. It is also assumed in Scenario 1 that each Main tanker will remain on the ground at the FOB until its last scheduled de-fuelling has been completed.

Expeditionary Force Operations - Scenario 1 - Table 2 - Main Tanker & FOB-based Refuelling Schedules

Table 2 shows, on the left the Main Tanker sortie time schedule. Col (1) lists the last Air-Ground Tanker sortie that each Main tanker is able fully to refuel. If a Main tanker cannot transfer the full load required, it will be relieved by the next Main tanker sortie before fuel transfer takes place. Hence, if (for example) the first Main tanker sortie is able fully to refuel two Air-Ground tanker sorties, the number 2 will appear in Col (1) against the first Main tanker sortie. Cols (2), (3), (4), (5) and (6) in the left-hand table show the sortie timing on each Main tanker sortie, including the required or predicted time of its last AAR transfer before hand-over to its relieving tanker, the take-off time, pre-position (in the ARAA) time, first planned AR Contact Time, and the ETA Base on completion of each sortie. The right–hand table (Col (7) shows the Air-Ground tanker (Gtanker) sortie number (T1, T2, T3, etc) followed in Cols (8), (9), (10) and (11) by the time at which the Ground Tanker connects to the Main tanker for its AR transfer, the time by which it is assumed the Ground tanker will have unloaded all its fuel (which is also assumed to be the time at which it will take-ff on its next sortie if one is required), the amount of fuel transferred to it by the Main tanker per sortie, and in Col (11) the cumulative mass of fuel so far transferred to the FOB by Main tankers via the air refuelled Air-Ground tankers.

Expeditionary Force Operations - Scenario 2 - Tanker Results Data

The results data calculated by AIRPLAN AAR, above, are self-evident.

Expeditionary Force Operations - Scenario 2 - Table 1 - Refuelling Mass & Sortie Time Schedule

Table 1 shows the chronological order and timing, and the fuel mass transfers from Main tankers to receivers within the ARAA located near the FOB. It shows the order in which a/c on routes A to H (or however many of these routes have been tasked) will refuel and the mass transferred to each a/c or formation. A1 indicates the first AAR for the aircraft (or formation of a/c) flying route A. C3 is the third AAR by a/c flying route C; and so on. The table also shows the sortie serial number of the tanker delivering the fuel at each transfer, the total amount of fuel transferred or itself burned by each tanker, and the elapsed time on task of each tanker sortie.

Expeditionary Force Operations - Scenario 2 - Table 2 - Main Tanker Sortie Schedule

Table 2 shows the AIRPLAN -calculated sortie schedules for each Main tanker, including take-off, on task, off task, elapsed patrol time and ETA at the Forward Mounting Base (or the tankers’ main operating base).

Expeditionary Force Operations - Scenario 3 - Main Tanker Results

The above Tanker results data are self-explanatory.

Expeditionary Force Operations - Scenario 3 - Table 1 - Tanker Sortie & Fuel Delivery Schedule

Table 1 shows the Main tanker sortie and fuel delivery schedule calculated by AIRPLAN AAR between the FMB and the FOB. In blue is shown the amount of fuel that will have to be delivered to the FOB before the operation starts (this has been derived from the fuel state of receiver a/c at the FOB, entered by the user / planner on the penultimate line of the Receiver a/c Input Data page. The Table also  shows the latest time by which the Main tanker must land at the FOB in order not to delay the FOB-based a/c sortie schedule.

Expeditionary Force Operations - Scenario 3 - Table 2 -Ground Refuelling of FOB-based A/c by Tankers Delivering Fuel from a Forward Mounting Base

Table 2 shows the ground refuelling schedule of FOB-based aircraft. As for Scenario 1, the program assumes that a/c operating from the FOB will only refuel when their fuel states are such that they would be unable to carry out a further sortie and remain above their minimum fuel reserve on return to the FOB. The objective is to carry out as many missions in the shortest time. Table 2 also shows the time by which tankers (able to land at the FOB) operating from the Forward Mounting Base must arrive at the FOB to begin their fuel delivery. It shows which Main tanker sorties will meet the fuel requirements of which missions by FOB-based a/c (e.g. B1, C1, A1 etc). Main tankers in the case of Scenario 3 are likely to be relatively high capacity tankers with a tactical field performance such as the C-130J tanker and, in the future, the tanker variant of the Airbus A400M.

Many pages and cells throughout the AIRPLAN AAR program have Help facilities. These can easily be accessed by users, by pointing the mouse, to remind them how to enter or interpret data correctly.