Adaptive Aerial Refueling Drogue

New aircraft types entering service with the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps (e.g., tilt rotor and unmanned combat air vehicles) have created a demand for new and advanced aerial refueling systems. With the introduction of the V-22 aircraft, there is arequirement for a single hose-drogue refueling system which can service high-speed fixed-wing aircraft, mid-speed tilt-rotor aircraft, and low-speed helicopters without having to land and change tanker configuration. Additionally, aerial refueling of newunmanned aircraft requires a drogue which can be actively controlled/stabilized when encountering turbulence and/or the receiver aircraft's bow wave. NEAR has developed two unique solutions to these disparate problems. NEAR's Nested Drogue system is anintuitive extension of proven technology which allows the refueling of all aircraft types without having to land and reconfigure the tanker. To refuel unmanned aircraft, NEAR has developed the Embedded Flap Drogue. This system incorporates moveable flapsinto a conventional drogue design in a manner which protects the control surfaces from damage while providing the necessary aerodynamic control for stabilization. Both drogue concepts are simple, durable, reliable, and present no additional FOD hazard.