China’s military is upgrading its aerial refueling operations with a new AI-powered task assignment system designed to improve coordination between tankers and fighter aircraft.
Developed by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force, the platform can track real-time airspace conditions and calculate fuel status across all participating aircraft.
It then uses that data — along with flight duration and airspace availability — to determine optimal tanker-to-fighter pairings and provide in-flight refueling guidance.
Previously, tankers remained in designated zones as fighters moved to the nearest available aircraft, creating imbalances where some tankers were overtasked and others underused.
“The ‘smart task assignment’ programme recommends scientifically sound and highly efficient solutions, enabling the maximisation of aerial refuelling effectiveness,” said Yu He, a PLA Air Force officer, as quoted by SCMP.
“The old random refuelling-receiving model had become a critical weakness limiting combat effectiveness and was ill-suited to the demands of future battlefields.”
The new AI system first entered testing late last year.
Prompted by Recent Accident
The development comes after a recent crash involving a US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker in western Iraq during America’s Operation Epic Fury against Iran.
All six crew members reportedly died in the crash, which the Pentagon said was not caused by hostile or friendly fire, despite a pro-Iranian group claiming responsibility.
Early reports indicated that the incident may have followed a midair collision with another KC-135, which sustained damage but was still able to land safely.
