Air Force picks seven new possible homes for KC-46A Pegasus

The Air Pressure introduced seven potential touchdown spots on Oct. 3 for its latest refueling tanker’s principal hub, and the service hopes to finalize a house base for the KC-46A Pegasus by 2027.

“One base can be chosen to host the brand new mission pending a closing basing choice, and the result of a deliberate environmental affect evaluation anticipated no later than 2027,” the Air Pressure mentioned. “The primary of eight plane are scheduled to reach in 2031.”

The attainable areas embody: Bangor Air Nationwide Guard Base, Maine; Forbes Discipline Air Nationwide Guard Base, Kansas; Key Discipline Air Nationwide Guard Base, Mississippi; McGhee Tyson Air Nationwide Guard Base, Tennessee; Rickenbacker Air Nationwide Guard Base, Ohio; Scott Air Pressure Base, Illinois; or Sumpter Smith Air Nationwide Guard Base, Alabama.

The Air Pressure plans to purchase 179 KC-46A tankers in a $4.9 billion contract with Boeing, however the rollout has been bumpy. The primary airplane was delivered to McConnell Air Pressure Base, Kansas, in 2019, two years after it was initially slated to reach. And the tanker has confronted different points as effectively, together with a stiff gasoline pipe that was unable to hook up with and refuel A-10 Warthogs as lately as March.

Wherever the KC-46As find yourself, they’re set to exchange the getting older KC-135 Stratotankers, that are scheduled to start retiring in 2027.

Amongst their capacities, the tanker supplies “increase and drogue refueling on the identical sortie, worldwide navigation and communication, cargo capability on the complete principal deck flooring, receiver air refueling, improved pressure safety, and multi-point air refueling functionality,” based on the Air Pressure.