Tennessee Guard to Receive Eight KC-46s

The Air Force has tapped McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base to host the next base to host KC-46 aerial refuelers, replacing the KC-135s that have been there since the 1970s. 

McGhee Tyson beat out six other installations that were in the running to become the Pegasus’ seventh “main operating base.” 

The Air Force announced the choice Nov. 19, which is pending an environmental impact analysis and final basing decision by 2027. 

The base will receive eight KC-46s, with first delivery expected in 2031, and they will be assigned to the Tennessee Air National Guard’s 134th Air Refueling Wing, the service said. 

“This is a transformational moment for our Airmen, our wing, and our state,” said Col. Ronald Selvidge, commander of the wing, in a statement. “The KC-46 will significantly expand our operational reach and ensure we remain a critical enabler of global mobility and combat power projection for decades to come.” 

As part of the selection, the wing and base will undergo infrastructure improvements.

The 134th has flown variants of the KC-135 since 1976—a testament to the Stratotanker’s longevity but also a sign of just how old the Air Force tanker fleet has become. The service announced plans in July to buy an extra 75 KC-46s on top of its original plan of 179, rather than hold a competition for a KC-135 recapitalization program. 

The KC-46 has suffered its share of developmental issues but has steadily spread across the Air Force from Florida to California. Last year, the service announced Selfridge Air Force Base in Michigan will get the Pegasus around 2029.

Still, there are still more than half-dozen bases with KC-135s, including overseas installations in Kadena Air Base, Japan, and RAF Mildenhall, U.K.

KC-46 Bases