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PHOTOS: The Art of Refueling at Altitude

By JOHN LOCHER LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
February 10, 2014 - 9:22 pm
 
A U.S. Air Force F-16 refuels in mid-flight from a KC-135 Stratotanker during a Red Flag exercise over The Nevada Test and Training Range Monday, Feb. 10, 2014. The KC-135 Stratotanker is with the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron based at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash. (John Locher/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
A U.S. Air Force F-16 flies away after refueling mid-flight from a KC-135 Stratotanker during a Red Flag exercise over The Nevada Test and Training Range Monday, Feb. 10, 2014. The KC-135 Stratotanker is with the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron based at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash. (John Locher/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
A U.S. Air Force F-16 refuels in mid-flight from a KC-135 Stratotanker during a Red Flag exercise over The Nevada Test and Training Range Monday, Feb. 10, 2014. The KC-135 Stratotanker is with the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron based at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash. (John Locher/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
A U.S. Air Force F-16 refuels in mid-flight from a KC-135 Stratotanker during a Red Flag exercise over The Nevada Test and Training Range Monday, Feb. 10, 2014. The KC-135 Stratotanker is with the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron based at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash. (John Locher/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
A U.S. Air Force F-16 refuels in mid-flight from a KC-135 Stratotanker during a Red Flag exercise over The Nevada Test and Training Range Monday, Feb. 10, 2014. The KC-135 Stratotanker is with the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron based at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash. (John Locher/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
A U.S. Air Force F-16s line up to refuel mid-flight from a KC-135 Stratotanker during a Red Flag exercise over The Nevada Test and Training Range Monday, Feb. 10, 2014. The KC-135 Stratotanker is with the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron based at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash. (John Locher/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
A U.S. Air Force F-16 refuels in mid-flight from a KC-135 Stratotanker during a Red Flag exercise over The Nevada Test and Training Range Monday, Feb. 10, 2014. The KC-135 Stratotanker is with the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron based at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash. (John Locher/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
A U.S. Air Force F-16 waits to refuel mid-flight from a KC-135 Stratotanker during a Red Flag exercise over The Nevada Test and Training Range Monday, Feb. 10, 2014. The KC-135 Stratotanker is with the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron based at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash. (John Locher/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
A U.S. Air Force F-16 waits to refuel mid-flight from a KC-135 Stratotanker during a Red Flag exercise over The Nevada Test and Training Range Monday, Feb. 10, 2014. The KC-135 Stratotanker is with the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron based at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash. (John Locher/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Pilot Capt. Robert Bethancourt, left, and co-pilot 1st Lt. Alex Duke prepare for takeoff in their KC-135 Stratotanker during a Red Flag exercise at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas Monday, Feb. 10, 2014. The KC-135 Stratotanker is with the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron based at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash. (John Locher/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Airman first class Ryan Kemp operates a refueling boom on a KC-135 Stratotanker during a Red Flag exercise over The Nevada Test and Training Range Monday, Feb. 10, 2014. The KC-135 Stratotanker is with the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron based at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash. (John Locher/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
A U.S. Air Force F-16 flies away after refueling mid-flight from a KC-135 Stratotanker during a Red Flag exercise over The Nevada Test and Training Range Monday, Feb. 10, 2014. The KC-135 Stratotanker is with the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron based at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash. (John Locher/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
A U.S. Air Force F-16 flies away after refueling mid-flight from a KC-135 Stratotanker during a Red Flag exercise over The Nevada Test and Training Range Monday, Feb. 10, 2014. The KC-135 Stratotanker is with the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron based at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash. (John Locher/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
A U.S. Air Force F-16 flies away after refueling mid-flight from a KC-135 Stratotanker during a Red Flag exercise over The Nevada Test and Training Range Monday, Feb. 10, 2014. The KC-135 Stratotanker is with the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron based at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash. (John Locher/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Review-Journal photographer John Locher documents the experience of refueling military aircraft in flight over the Nevada Test and Training Range.

The refueling took place during a Red Flag air combat exercise from the perspective of a boom operator and pilots while flying with them in a KC-135 Stratotanker from Nellis Air Force Base.

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