Air Force Announces Westover as Tanker Candidate Base

The KC-46 is the Air Force’s newest air refueling tanker. The other three candidate bases are Tinker AFB, Okla., Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C., and Grissom ARB, Ind. The KC-46As will begin arriving at the first Air Force Reserve-led global mobility wing in fiscal year 2019.

“While this announcement doesn’t finalize any basing decision yet, it speaks to Westover’s key geographical position in the northeast,” said Colonel Richard Tubbs, 439th Airlift Wing vice commander, the host unit at Westover, which has flown C-5s since 1987. “We’re excited to be considered for this vital addition to the Air Force’s global mobility capability.”

The Air Mobility Command and Air Force Reserve Command will soon conduct detailed, on-the-ground site surveys of each candidate base. They will assess each location against operational requirements, potential impacts to existing missions, housing, infrastructure, and manpower.

“This basing action is another great example of the Total Force relationship the Air Force Reserve Command has enjoyed for many years with Air Mobility Command,” said Lieutenant General James F. Jackson, commander of Air Force Reserve Command.

"Bringing the KC-46A online is an important step in recapitalizing a tanker fleet that has been the leader in air refueling for more than five decades," General Mark A. Welsh, Chief of Staff said. "This new age aircraft will achieve better mission-capable rates with less maintenance downtime, improving our ability to respond with rapid, global capability to assist U.S., joint, allied and coalition forces and better support humanitarian missions.”

The KC-46A will provide improved capability, including boom and drogue refueling on the same sortie, world-wide navigation and communication, airlift capability on the entire main deck floor, receiver air refueling, improved force protection and survivability, and multi-point air refueling capability.