KC-135 tankers from RAF Mildenhall, England, have been providing the aerial refueling needed to keep the airlift of people and supplies moving to and from the Middle East. Last week airmen of the 100th Air Refueling Wing helped the transit of USAF MH-53 Pave Low helicopters from Mildenhall’s 352nd Special Operations Group to Cyprus. Since then, the 100th ARW, which has the only USAF tankers permanently stationed in Europe, have been refueling various military aircraft aiding the evacuation of Americans from Lebanon.
Boeing’s receipt of the 10th lot contract award for the KC-46 Pegasus this week leaves just three lots left to complete the Air Force’s buy of the tanker, although a further buy of 75 additional aircraft as a “bridge” to the Next-Generation Aerial-refueling System (NGAS) seems increasingly likely.