In the airspace over the Rostov region, the flight personnel of the fighter-bomber aviation units of the 4th air force and air defence army of the Southern Military District (SMD) performed fuel refueling in the air as part of a tactical flight exercise.

The crews of the aviation regiment of the latest Su-34 operational and tactical aircraft and Il-78 aircraft were involved in performing one of the most difficult elements of flight training.

Refueling of front-line fighter-bombers was carried out from the Il-78 aircraft tanker of the Russian Aerospace Forces at a speed of about 500 km/h at a certain point of assembly of the air group in compliance with the established altitude requirements.

The pilots of the Southern Military District performed refueling both during the day and at night, as part of a pair and single.

In total, more than 30 crews of operational and tactical aircraft of the Southern Military District were involved in the tactical flight exercise.

Refueling in the air is one of the most difficult flight tasks. Flights with air refueling are regularly included in various stages of the exercises of the Southern Military District during the operational movement of aircraft equipment from one region of the country to another.