How are tanker aircraft used for in-flight refueling?

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military aircraft Tupolev Tu-22M, a Russian variable-wing supersonic jet bomber first flown in 1969. It was designed for potential use in war against the NATO countries, where it was known by the designation “Backfire.”

Tanker aircraft facilitate in-flight refueling by extending a flying boom, which is a rigid, fuel-carrying pipe attached to the tanker's tail. This system is equipped with small, controllable airfoils at its end. An operator on the tanker uses these airfoils to guide the boom into contact with the receiving aircraft, allowing for the transfer of fuel while both planes remain in flight.1