Aircraft design for air to air refueling

Abstract

An aircraft is provided including an airframe, an extending tail, and a counter rotating, coaxial main rotor assembly including an upper rotor assembly and a lower rotor assembly. The upper rotor assembly and the lower rotor assembly each include a plurality of blades. A translational thrust system is positioned at the extending tail and provides translational thrust to the airframe. The plurality of blades of the main rotor assembly extend beyond a nose of the aircraft by about 13 inches.

1 . An aircraft comprising:
 an airframe;   an extending tail;   a counter rotating, coaxial main rotor assembly including an upper rotor assembly and a lower rotor assembly, the upper rotor assembly and the lower rotor assembly including a plurality of blades; and   a translational thrust system positioned at the extending tail, the translational thrust system providing translational thrust to the airframe;   wherein the plurality of blades extend beyond a nose of the aircraft by about 13 inches.   
     
     
         2 . The aircraft according to  claim 1 , further comprising a refueling probe mounted to the airframe and fluidly connected to a fuel tank of the aircraft, the refueling probe being configured to form a connection with a complementary component to form a fuel flow passage there through. 
     
     
         3 . The aircraft according to  claim 2 , wherein a first end of the refueling probe does not extend beyond the plurality of rotor blades. 
     
     
         4 . The aircraft according to  claim 2 , wherein the refueling probe is configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position, and wherein such movement between the retracted position and the extended position does not include telescoping. 
     
     
         5 . The aircraft according to  claim 2 , wherein in the retracted position, the refueling probe is housed within a cavity formed in the airframe near the nose. 
     
     
         6 . The aircraft according to  claim 2 , wherein in the extended position, the refueling probe has a reduced impact on drag of the aircraft. 
     
     
         7 . The aircraft according to  claim 2 , wherein the aircraft is configured to connect the refueling probe with the complementary component when the aircraft is not in a nose-down attitude.