MacDill preferred location for hosting Pegasus
On 21 December 2021, the Department of the Air Force selected MacDill AFB (FL), as the preferred location to host the next active duty Boeing KC-46A Pegasus aircraft.
The decision was made after conducting site surveys that assessed locations based on factors related to mission, infrastructure capacity, community support, environmental considerations and cost.
Once chosen, it is expected that twenty-four KC-46As will replace the active duty 6th Air Refueling Wing KC-135R Stratotankers at MacDill.
The new Air Mobility Command tankers will bring many enhanced capabilities, such as boom and drogue refueling on the same sortie, worldwide navigations and communication, cargo capacity on the entire main deck floor, receiver air refueling, improved force protection, and multi-point air refueling capability.
A final basing decision will be made after an environmental impact analysis, which is expected to take place in fall 2023. Fairchild AFB (WA), is considered a reasonable alternative and will also undergo an environmental impact analysis. As it stands now, there will be 179 Pegasus aircraft in USAF's inventory by 2029.
Photo by USAF