The KC-46A Pegasus Could Soon Call Birmingham, Alabama Home
AL– Have you heard of the KC-46A Pegasus? The Pegasus is a brand new, modern refueling aircraft that’s currently being manufactured by Boeing. The U.S. military has been developing this aircraft since 2011, and the first KC-46A Pegasus was test-flown in 2014. In 2019, McConnell Air Force Base received the first delivery of this modern air tanker, and several more of these aircraft have been delivered to various locations around the world since 2019. Most recently, the U.S. Air Force has been trying to decide where to store and maintain their fleet of KC-46A Pegasus air-to-air refuelers, and this fall, the committee responsible for making that decision has chosen Smith Air National Guard Base in Birmingham as one of seven finalists.
Fifteen Locations Were Initially Considered as the Home of the New Pegasus Refueler
The U.S. Air Force committee initially considered fifteen locations to house and maintain the KC-46A Pegasus. Recently, those 15 locations were trimmed to seven, with Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base in Birmingham being one of those selected locations. The final choice is expected to be selected sometime in the fall of 2025.
Why It Makes Sense to Send the KC-46A Pegasus to Birmingham, Alabama
Sending the KC-46A Pegasus to Birmingham, AL, makes logical sense. The city is home to the 117th Air Refueling Wing. This unit is particularly interesting due to its 100-year history. The 117th Air Refueling Wing was initially formed during World War I. However, at that time, the unit wasn’t a military squadron. Instead, it was known as the Birmingham Flying Club, and it wasn’t a federally recognized flying squadron until 1922. During its early years, the squadron’s mission was to observe and report.
However, the unit’s mission was expanded during World War II. In addition to observation aircraft, the unit also began operating bombers and fighters. It was during this time that the squadron was renamed the 117th Fighter Group.
It went through numerous name changes and mission adjustments over the years, and in 1994, it was given its current name. Today, the mission of the 117th Air Refueling Wing is to provide worldwide air refueling services as well as medical support, logistics support, and intelligence, and it is one of the most deployed units in history due to its global operations.
The KC-46A Pegasus
The KC-46A Pegasus is an aerial refueling airplane. It was developed and built by Boeing, utilizing the design of the Boeing 767. It contains two Pratt & Whitney 4062 jet engines. It has a wingspan of 156 feet, a length of 159 feet, and a height of 51 feet, nine inches. The KC-46A Pegasus can carry 212,299 pounds of fuel. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 415,000. It can carry up to 65,000 pounds of cargo and a maximum of 58 passengers, with space for 15 aircraft crew members.
What the 117th Air Refueling Wing Flies Today
The 117th Air Refueling Wing currently flies the KC-135R Stratotanker. This refueling aircraft was manufactured between 1955 and 1965. The first flight was performed in 1956. The military’s inventory of Stratotankers is currently maintained by the Air Mobility Command, and currently, they maintain several hundred of these air-to-air refuelers. The Stratotanker is equipped with four CFM International CFM-56 turbofans. The aircraft has an impressive wingspan of 130 feet and 10 inches. It has a length just over 136 feet, and it has a height of 41 feet, eight inches. The KC-135R Stratotanker can reach speeds up to 530mph, and it can operate at altitudes as high as 50,000 feet.
The KC-135R Stratotanker boasts a maximum takeoff weight of 322,500 pounds, and it can transfer up to 200,000 pounds of fuel. The Stratotanker has a maximum cargo capacity of 83,000 pounds but can only carry five medical crew members and three flight crew.
Why the U.S. Military Needs the KC-46A Pegasus
The KC-46A Pegasus was commissioned and designed because the U.S. military desperately needs a modern tanker aircraft. After all, the KC-135R Stratotanker is pushing 60 years old. The good news is that the Pegasus is in production, and to date, 87 of these refueling aircraft have been delivered. The KC-46A Pegasus can take off and land on shorter runways than the Stratotanker. The Pegasus needs less square footage on the ramp and can carry more people and cargo.
The KC-46A Pegasus is a significant upgrade over the KC-135R Stratotanker, and we know that the 117th Air Refueling Wing would be honored to have the refueling aircraft call its Birmingham location home. However, we’ll all have to wait until the fall of 2025 to learn which of the remaining seven locations the U.S. Air Force chooses.