North Korea criticised Japan on Monday for conducting air-to-air refueling exercises with the American air force.

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After combat operations exposed deficiencies, allies also worked to standardize air-to-air refueling nozzles and connecting bombs to aircraft.

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The latest call-up includes more than 3, 000 Guard members and reservists who will provide air refueling and joint communications to deploying troops.

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However, based on the most recent Mobility Capabilities and Requirements Study 2016, there are significant shortfalls in strategic airlift, intra-theater airlift, and air refueling across a number of different scenarios.

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CNN's Gary Tuchman, accompanying airmen aboard an Air Force HC-130 search-and-rescue and refueling plane flying over Iraq, filed this report.

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Tomorrow, the Boeing Company reportedly will be briefed by the U.S. Air Force about that service's controversial rejection of the American firm's aerial refueling aircraft proposal in favor of that offered by a joint venture dominated by the European Aeronautic, Defense, and Space (EADS) consortium.

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In theory, the Air Force has many hundreds of tactical aircraft like the F-15E fighter-bomber that might be used to prosecute an air campaign in the Western Pacific, but those planes have limited ranges and thus would be heavily dependent on aerial refueling.

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