The new prime minister, Yasuo Fukuda, supports efforts to renew the refueling mission.
The KC-130 is the refueling tanker version of the C-130.
Those interviewed also reported seeing an unusual number of people on the piers and on the beach, watching the refueling.
The Navy said the boat rapidly approached the refueling ship Rappahannock about 10 miles off Jebel Ali, Dubai, and disregarded warnings.
Mr. Bowman acknowledged that Boeing had not yet conducted critical wind tunnel testing on the refueling apparatus of a 777-based tanker.
Raising the level higher could have required the Cole's captain and crew to take additional security steps -- or to cancel the refueling stop altogether.
The design covers onboard fuel storage, offboard hydrogen generation plant, the refueling system, fuel cell powerplant and locomotive layout.
Cooper and the crew discussed options and agreed on Reno, Nevada, as the refueling stop.
A sergeant, responsible for overseeing the security of the facility, was assisting with the refueling.
The operator must open the ramp to extend the refueling hose, then raise the ramp back up once it is extended, with the top ramp door left open.
A later review for the Joint Chiefs of Staff noted that "a minimum of six operational helicopters would be required at the refueling site to continue the mission".
