MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/. The crews of Tupolev Tu-142M3 anti-submarine warfare aircraft of the Pacific Fleet’s naval aviation conducted the first ever night aerial refueling, the Fleet’s press office reported on Thursday.
"In Kamchatka, the crews of Tu-142M3 long-range anti-submarine warfare aircraft of the Pacific Fleet’s naval aviation conducted a practical exercise of midair refueling from an Il-78M aerial refueling tanker of the Russian Aerospace Forces. The night aerial refueling of Tu-142M3 aircraft was conducted in the Pacific Fleet for the first time," the press office said in a statement.
Midair refueling flights are a complex type of flight training and are performed at an altitude of 4-5 km and at a speed of 500-600 km/h, the press office said.