Dynamic characteristics of aerial refueling hose-drogue system under lateral gust

Abstract

Aerial refueling technology plays a pivotal strategic role in extending fighter aircraft’s operational range and combat radius, particularly for long-range strike and rapid deployment missions. The hose-drogue refueling system, however, remains susceptible to disturbances from complex airflow conditions, which significantly threaten refueling operations. This paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the dynamic behavior of the hose-drogue system under lateral gust conditions. The Kane theory was employed to establish the multibody dynamic model by discretizing the hose into serially connected rigid links joined by spherical joints, with the drogue rigidly attached to the terminal link. The application of Kane’s method avoids the Lagrangian function computations in analytical mechanics or cumbersome internal force analysis in classical mechanics. The equilibrium analysis introduces a novel position index correlated with the system’s towing configuration, offering direct guidance for tanker flight parameter optimization and maximum hose tension estimation. Dynamic response studies reveal several critical phenomena: the hose exhibits a whipping phenomenon under lateral gust loads, with the whipping intensity progressively increasing along the length of the hose; the maximum dynamic tension fluctuation remains within 3 % of the equilibrium tension value, which pose no structural safety concerns; and most notably, extreme fluctuations in the lateral aerodynamic components of drogue loads dominate system’s dynamics behavior. Through detailed analyses of phase diagrams and spatial trajectories, the results demonstrate the drogue’s violent motion characteristics during whipping episodes, which render docking procedures unfeasible. These findings provide theoretical support for optimal tanker flight parameter selection, accurate tension prediction, and the development of advanced drogue active control systems.