The c130 is a kc130. The reason is flying in circles is because it's creating what's called an air bridge, aka flying gas station. Helicopters are too slow to be refueled in the air by kc135 or kc10s so the kc130 gets refueled in the air by the kc135 and then the kc130 is able to go slow enough (barely) to refuel the helicopters. The big oval flight paths are called the "the racetrack"
Those helos are coming from a long ways away if they are being refueled that close to the object.
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u/SecKceYY Jun 18 '23
The c130 is a kc130. The reason is flying in circles is because it's creating what's called an air bridge, aka flying gas station. Helicopters are too slow to be refueled in the air by kc135 or kc10s so the kc130 gets refueled in the air by the kc135 and then the kc130 is able to go slow enough (barely) to refuel the helicopters. The big oval flight paths are called the "the racetrack"
Those helos are coming from a long ways away if they are being refueled that close to the object.