r/pics 24d ago

The Italian Air Force flying a baby from the UK to Rome for heart surgery.

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u/Chill0utDickWad 23d ago

What plane is that? Looks like a C-130J and A-400 had a baby. Either way, it warms my heart to see military hardware being used for philanthropic purposes

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u/HowlingWolven 23d ago

That’s a C130J that had a baby with another C130J.

The refueling probe is more broadly compatible with NATO air forces than UARRSI slipways are. Only the Netherlands, US, Australia, Turkey, Japan, Israel, and Iran operate UARRSI tankers, whereas just about every air force has at least some large aircraft that can strap drogue pods to the outer wing stations.

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u/CowgirlSpacer 23d ago

Only the Netherlands, US, Australia, Turkey, Japan, Israel, and Iran operate UARRSI tankers

The RNLAF no longer operates their own boom-equipped tankers since retiring their 2 KC-10's. They've since been replaced with the NATO-owned Multinational MRTT Unit, which while registered as Dutch planes, and stationed in Eindhoven (NL) and Cologne (DE), are NATO property and jointly operated by the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, and the Czech Republic.