The Omega Tanker

[JT Eagle]

A little while ago (OK, a month) someone asked an innocent question about the Omega 707 tanker, something along the lines of "does it exist" and got, IMHO opinion rather unfairly jumped on by a moderator, who said:

"If any of this was happening do you think OPSEC would let them talk about it here."

and then locked the thread. Well this has annoyed me so much that I registered so I could put the record straight. The easiest way to do this would be to direct you to: http://omegaairrefueling.com where you will find pictures, mission planning info, a procedures brief and can even see their schedule (if you have a .mil address I think) and order your own tanker mission!

As the nice lady I spoke to there the other day said "nothing is secret" (with some very specific exceptions). I don't work for them but have flown on the 707 a couple of times and they are good people (I'm pretty sure that I am peering out of one of the rear windows in their home page photo).

With the greatest respect, I think some of the mods need to get out more.

The original question still stands - has anyone here tanked off them and how does it compare to the 'Iron Maiden'?

JT

 

[SteveG75]

Hose is a lot like a KC-10's. Very easy to tank off.

The Iron Maiden is a 6 foot adapter with a hard basket on the ned of the boom. Very different.

 

[Fly Navy]

A little while ago (OK, a month) someone asked an innocent question about the Omega 707 tanker, something along the lines of "does it exist" and got, IMHO opinion rather unfairly jumped on by a moderator, who said:

"If any of this was happening do you think OPSEC would let them talk about it here."

That's because your question was implied as being directed towards if they've been tanking off Omega during the war. It wasn't "Does the military use Omega". I don't know who locked it, but I didn't have a problem with it.

 

[SteveG75]

Here is a good pic of the Iron Maiden from ECMO1's seat.

 

[Taildragger]

I was the one who originally asked the question about Omega Air -- I was just curious as to who they were, because I see an occasional photo of one of their 707's on airliners.net. Didn't mean to phrase my question wrong, I wasn't trying to compromise OPSEC on here. My question really referred to the difference between tanking off the hose and tanking off the Iron Maiden -- as I understand, there is a difference. Anyway, sorry for the original post.

 

[Blutonski816]

I know Omega hung around puerto Rico Alot, seen a lot of pics of VC-8 Scooters tanking off them...

 

[webmaster]

JT Eagle, understand your concerns, but the mods were acting in my best interests, and protecting the site from anything that could be posted on here. The gray areas are the most difficult to decide on is it ok to post, etc.. I have asked the moderators to prune anything that could be viewed as an OPSEC violation. I would rather be safe than sorry any day.

I would also counter, that I could find many things listed on the internet that by themsleves aren't an issue. When you end up with military personnel connecting the dots, problems can result.

 

[Mayday]

I rode on Omega a couple years ago, while they tanked a few HornetC's "somewhere in the Pacific." Very cool. They also test-launched a 9M or X, not sure which, about 1/2 sm away from us. Even from inside the tanker it sounded like a freight train driving by. Watching the pilots coming in to stab the baskets was like watching your golf ball after you putt (c'mon, get in there! c'mon...c'mon...c'mon...AAWWwe! Almost! up a little, UP a little!!!! etc.) Well, at least if you're an aero-nerd like me.

On the OPSEC issue, I totally agree that safest is best, but it's laughable when you realize that competent enemy intelligence knows a lot more about how my military operates and what our capabilities approximately are and where everybody is at any given time than, say, umm, I do...

Then again I'm sure those of you who have access to - and are even required to memorize - the real classified stuff are laughing too.

 

[Fly Navy]

On the OPSEC issue, I totally agree that safest is best, but it's laughable when you realize that competent enemy intelligence knows a lot more about how my military operates and what our capabilities approximately are and where everybody is at any given time than, say, umm, I do...

You never know what small, insignificant piece of information could be the finishing piece of a large puzzle for the enemy.

 

[zab1001]

"The Man" does watch this site and will take action against the Administrators if it so pleases him.

 

[Brett327]

"The Man" does watch this site and will take action against the Administrators if it so pleases him.

B!tchin' new avatar, Zab.

Brett

 

[zab1001]

Air's getting out...you aren't getting a tight seal around the base...you need to put some gum around there or something.

 

[jarhead]

tanking off of the Omega is cake compared to the Iron Maiden. you stab at the Iron Maiden and you are loosing a Probe tip or worse, an AOA probe, as well as it leaving its mark on the side of your jet.

funny story about OPSEC ... i stayed out in town near Osan, Korea once for a few days while doing some training and it seemed like everytime i left base to goto my motel i was being followed and that i was being watched when i was in my room ... i got so paronoid that i was afraid to rub one out in my room because i was afraid the North had cameras watching me and would use the footage of an American fighter/attack pilot doing his business as propaganda ...

S/F

 

[JT Eagle]

Thank you Jarhead, I think that some of that contribution falls in the 'noone needs to know' category (but on the other hand maybe you're right and Kim Jong-Il has a stack of tapes of US personnel that he watches when he's feeling ronrey).
My point was that the original thread got jumped on before a moment's research (or like, asking a Navy jet guy) would have proved that there was such as thing as a commercial, private, available for hire, not really at all secret tanker out there. As for the 'in the war' thing, well when does the war begin and end (a philosophical question for another time, perhaps)? Are OIF 2 missions 'war' in quite the same way that the initial invasion was? I know that a grunt on the ground would probably say yes, but from the point of view of tactical air I would say no. Does every question that's war-related get crushed by OPSEC considerations and stay completely secret until the war ends (ie forever). Take a look at some of the many books (such as those by Osprey) on the 2003 war and events since and see what has been written and approved. Hornets (2), Tomcats, F-15s and Apaches have been done so far and Marine Cobras is in the pipeline in the Osprey series. OPSEC should be based on common sense, you know, not the way the TSA does things.
Anyway, Omega does not fly war or over the beach type of missions, they support deployments and training (but I didn't know they hung around for missile shoots!). In the last year they have bought 3 more 'presidential' 707s (Indonesia, Egypt and Saudi) and the latter is being converted right now to be their second tanker - on the line in about 6 months.
So, it's your forum and no-one wants their butts chewed, but perhaps take a look at the wider world before locking down threads. I know "the internet" is full of things that we all might prefer weren't in the public domain (perhaps including the Jarhead Tapes) but one look at Omega's own site would have put the mods' minds at rest I think.

Yours not wanting to upset anyone or lose the war,
JT

 

[skidkid]

Ok, I was the one that locked your first post and I would do it again. #1 there is nothing in your profile as to who you are, I realize people can lie on this but nothing in the profile and a first question like war aerial tanking will be shut down, live with it.
You have gotten an answer to your question so the purpose of this site has been fulfilled.
I dont give a fvck whether you think OIF2 isnt "real" war anymore, it is and information dealing with all aspects of its prosecution will be protected especially on this site which is frequented by those of us who may be prosecuting said war. AS for the wider world Im pretty sure myself and many other on this site have a much "wider" view of the conduct of the war and there are things you just dont need to know or have as easy access as this site may provide.
I would suggest a wider view of just where you fall out in the grand scheme of things. Get over yourself and let it go, you got an answer.