Officials with the New Hampshire Air National Guard’s 157th Air Refueling Wing are expecting the Air Force to issue a final decision soon that will bring a dozen of the service’s new KC-46A tankers to Pease ANG Base in Portsmouth, reported SeaCoastOnline on Monday. “We don’t foresee any surprises. All signs point to ‘yes,'” said Capt. Aaron McCarthy, wing spokesman, in the report. Service officials in July are expected to complete the environmental impact analysis of basing the new tankers at Pease, he said. Only then may the Air Force leadership issue a record of decision assigning the mission to Pease. In May 2013, the Air Force identified Pease as its preferred site to host the Air Guard’s first KC-46 main operating location. The base is expected to receive its KC-46s starting in 2018. (See also It’s Official: Altus, McConnell to get KC-46A.)
Boeing received a $2.47 billion Air Force contract Nov. 25 for 15 more KC-46s, bringing to 183 the number of Pegasus tankers on contract to all customers, foreign and domestic. The new contract—for Lot 12 of the initially planned KC-46 buy—is to be completed by 2029.
