WASHINGTON (AFNS) —

The Department of the Air Force selected the candidate locations to host the next Reserve and active duty main operating bases for KC-46A Pegasus aircraft, May 13.

The candidate locations to host the next KC-46A Reserve component are Beale Air Force Base, California, Grissom Air Reserve Base, Indiana, Joint Base Andrews-Naval Air Field Washington, Maryland, March ARB, California, Niagara Falls ARB, New York, and Tinker AFB, Oklahoma.

The candidate locations selected for the next KC-46 active-duty component are Fairchild AFB, Washington, and MacDill AFB, Florida.

A total of 12 KC-46As will replace Air Force Reserve Command KC-135 Stratotankers at one of the six candidate locations and 24 KC-46As will replace active-duty KC-135s at one of the two candidate locations.

The KC-46A brings many enhanced capabilities over the legacy KC-135, including boom and drogue refueling on the same sortie, worldwide navigation and communication, airlift capability on the entire main deck floor, receiver air refueling, improved force protection, and multi-point air refueling capability.

Site surveys at each candidate main operating base will be conducted this summer and will be assessed against operational requirements, potential impacts to existing missions, housing, infrastructure and manpower.

The preferred locations are expected to be selected in fall 2021.

Release USAF
Photo Rob Vogelaar