Number of F-35A fighters airborne to maintain a 4-ship Combat Air Patrol (CAP), depending on tanker type’s standoff distance

Please adjust the “Distance from CAP” slider to see the impact on fighter and fuel demands.

Distance from CAP 300 nmi

Tanker standoff

—

Time on station

—

Fighters airborne

—

Fuel demand

—

Distance is from the CAP to the tanker, flown each way to refuel.

Fighter airfields are modeled as 500 nmi from the ARCP, fighter sorties are capped at 10 hours, and fighters are added in pairs, which produces the steps in the chart. A fighter patrol is deemed unsustainable below 5 percent of endurance on station.