Ariel Refueling Demonstration, USS Enterprise Tiger Cruise Air show:
Aerial refueling, also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling, and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one military aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) during flight.
The procedure allows the receiving aircraft to remain airborne longer, extending its range or loiter time on station. A series of air refuelings can give range limited only by crew fatigue and engineering factors such as engine oil consumption. Because the receiver aircraft can be topped up with extra fuel in the air, air refueling can allow a takeoff with a greater payload which could be weapons, cargo, or personnel: the maximum takeoff weight is maintained by carrying less fuel and topping up once airborne.