The navy has decided (under budget constraints of course) to go for
buddy-pack refueling with F/A-18s.
With them loosing their ASW option after first loosing the
penetration/strike option and now with the retirement of the F-14 the long
range ADF and recce options they're pretty much out of the fight anyway, at
least the naval airpower fight, leaving them as glorified ferries for
Hornets to deployment bases where airfarce tankers can provide tanker
coverage, so they don't need anything else.

wrote in message
...
I'm not a TACAIR type (was VS/VP) but I've followed the airborne
tanker discussions with some interest.

It would seem that the options are getting a lot narrower with the
retirement of the S-3.

How about a KC-2? I understand it would be limited (could not
accompany strike packages any great distance). It still would work
overhead Mother. It's an aircraft in the inventory that will stay
there (we presume) for a while. It would also be available for COD
duty (in at least a limited form).

I do not know how many airframes are available. I do not know if
surplus E-2 airframes could be used (maybe another option entirely).

Bill Kambic