An in-flight refueling system and method are provided for facilitating the emergency separation of the components of a probe and drogue in-flight refueling. The in-flight refueling system and method provides a fuse device capable of being installed between, for instance, an elongate hose configured to trail from a tanker aircraft, and a drogue connected to, and in fluid communication with, the elongate hose. The fuse device may be configured to separate in response to a separating force such that the drogue may separate from the elongate hose prior to the exertion of a damaging force, a non-certified force, or an unknown aerodynamic force on the elongate hose, on a probe carried by a second receiver aircraft, or on the tanker aircraft.