SHARK — Small Hybrid Aerial Refueling Kit
AFRL/AFWERX Small Hybrid Aerial Refueling Kit effort: a small-form-factor, podded, platform-agnostic aerial refueling mechanism that fits within an aircraft's outer mold line, letting fighter-sized and non-traditional tanker aircraft refuel boom-receptacle-equipped receivers without a large dedicated tanker; design awards to Eaton, Legionnaire International, and Dynetics (2024).
AFRL/AFWERX's Small Hybrid Aerial Refueling Kit (SHARK) effort aims to develop a small-form-factor, podded, platform-agnostic aerial refueling mechanism that fits within an aircraft's outer mold line, allowing fighter-sized and non-traditional tanker aircraft — including autonomous systems — to refuel boom-receptacle-equipped receivers without a large dedicated tanker. Design contracts were awarded to Eaton, Legionnaire International, and Dynetics in 2024.
Program detail
- Agency
- U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)
- Acronym
- SHARK
- Budget
- Phase
- Design/development (contracts awarded August–November 2024)
- Domain
- Aerial refueling
Participants3
- CompanyEaton CorporationDiversified power management conglomerate with a substantial Aerospace defense business segment.
- CompanyLegionnaire InternationalDenison, Texas-based prime on a $3,193,251 AFRL SHARK (Small Hybrid Aerial Refueling Kit) design award (August 2024), with partners MatrixSpace, Sixdof Space, and Target Arm.
- CompanyDyneticsLeidos subsidiary awarded a $2,677,093 AFRL SHARK (Small Hybrid Aerial Refueling Kit) design contract in August 2024.
Contracts3
- ContractSHARK Aerial Refueling Boom Design Contract~$3.5M AFRL contract for Eaton, with partner TCO, to design a podded aerial refueling boom under the Small Hybrid Aerial Refueling Kit (SHARK) effort.
- ContractAFRL SHARK Design ContractAFRL SHARK design contract awarded to Legionnaire International, August 2024, with partners MatrixSpace, Sixdof Space, and Target Arm.
- ContractAFRL SHARK Design ContractAFRL SHARK (Small Hybrid Aerial Refueling Kit) design contract awarded to Dynetics, August 2024, alongside Legionnaire International and Eaton.
Frequently asked
- What is SHARK — Small Hybrid Aerial Refueling Kit?
- AFRL/AFWERX's Small Hybrid Aerial Refueling Kit (SHARK) effort aims to develop a small-form-factor, podded, platform-agnostic aerial refueling mechanism that fits within an aircraft's outer mold line, allowing fighter-sized and non-traditional tanker aircraft — including autonomous systems — to refuel boom-receptacle-equipped receivers without a large dedicated tanker. Design contracts were awarded to Eaton, Legionnaire International, and Dynetics in 2024.
- Which agency runs SHARK — Small Hybrid Aerial Refueling Kit?
- SHARK — Small Hybrid Aerial Refueling Kit is run by U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and is also known as SHARK.
Sources & citations1
Each claim links to its underlying source. Confidence reflects how directly the source supports the claim.
- 1
SHARK is a small form factor fuel transfer mechanism that fits inside of a modular, platform-agnostic, podded outer mold line, primarily intended to refuel medium to small fighter-sized aircraft; AFRL awarded design contracts to Legionnaire International, Dynetics, and Eaton.
The War Zone: Aerial Refueling Boom Pods That Could Go On F-15s In The WorksVerified2024-09-03