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Air Force increases tanker capability at Eielson AFB

  • Published
  • By Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
  • Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (AFNS) - The Department of the Air Force has made a final decision to increase the size of its existing Air National Guard KC-135 Stratotanker squadron at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, by adding an active duty component.

KC-135 Stratotanker

A KC-135R Stratotanker from the 434th Air Refueling Wing at Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind., refuels seven F/A-18 Hornets from the U.S. Navy Blue Angels aerial demonstration team Sept. 26, 2018. The Department of the Air Force has made a final decision to increase the size of its existing Air National Guard KC-135 squadron at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, by adding an active duty component. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Chris Massey)
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The department plans to add four additional KC-135s and additional active duty personnel, making it a Total Force unit and increasing the squadron’s total KC-135 aircraft to 12, with the first of the four aircraft already assigned and in place at Eielson AFB.

The service determined that adding four KC-135s and establishing an active association at Eielson AFB would be the most efficient and cost-effective way to put an active duty presence at Eielson AFB’s tanker unit which will help balance day-to-day operations with the contingency capabilities inherent in the Total Force.