KC-46A team visits Fairchild

by Tech. Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

2/25/2013 - FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- A team assigned to survey potential operating locations for the new KC-46A refueling tanker visited Fairchild Feb. 18-23.

The Air Force site activation task force team assessed operational and training requirements, potential impacts to existing missions, housing, infrastructure and manpower at Fairchild.

"The site survey team's week here collecting data is part of a deliberate process the Air Force uses when making basing decisions and takes an enterprise-wide look to evaluate potential basing locations," said Col. Brian Newberry, the 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander. "Team Fairchild diligently prepared for the visit to ensure we provide any and all base-specific data we could to the survey team.

"As an interesting side note, the KC-46A site survey team was actually here on the 55th anniversary of the KC-135 arriving for duty here at Fairchild," Newberry added.

Air Force leaders announced in January that Fairchild is a candidate base to host the first of several operational KC-46A aircraft.

Over the next 30 days, the team will refine the collected data and present their unbiased report to Air Force leaders. In addition to Fairchild, the team visited Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., McConnell AFB, Kan., and Altus AFB, Okla.

The announcement on the "preferred" and "reasonable alternative" bases is expected around May 1. The team appreciated the "tremendous support from active duty and guard members," said a leading member of the group.

Following the selection, the Air Force will conduct environmental impact studies, which should take about a year. After that, they'll announce which base will have the first KC-46A tankers, the team lead said.

"Building a new weapon system only happens about once in a generation," Newberry said. "We came together as a team to make this happen. We took a giant step ahead for our nation."

Col. Daniel Swain, the 141st ARW commander for the Washington Air National Guard, also noted the historical significance of Team Fairchild's work.

"We're on the leading edge of history for this country and this state," Swain said.

A new tanker to replace the Eisenhower-era KC-135 Stratotanker has been a prime acquisition goal for the Air Force over the last ten years. The KC-46A will be built by the Boeing Company and the first of the new tankers are expected to fly in 2016.