PEASE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.H. -- In a ceremony held during the Thunder Over New Hampshire Air Show, Sept. 12, the 157th Air Refueling Wing named it’s 12 KC-46A Pegasus aircraft after New Hampshire counties and towns.
Representatives from the 10 counties and two towns were on hand for the ceremony, after which, they were provided a tour of the aircraft and presented a plaque commemorating the occasion.
Speaking at the ceremony were Maj. Gen. Laurie Farris, the Air National Guard advisor to the Air Mobility Command commander, and Col. John Pogorek, the 157th Air Refueling Wing commander.
Pease is the first Air National Guard to receive the KC-46 and the first Air Force unit to receive its full complement of airframes. Farris said Pease has been recognized by AMC for leading the way for the Pegasus mission and bringing its unique warfighting capability to bear. She praised the community for their support in making that possible.
“What a big difference this makes to these 12 [aircraft] tails lined up on this ramp with all of your names on them; we wouldn’t be here without you,” said Farris. “You’ve been there every step of the way, and I want to thank you for that.”
Pogorek also praised the community for the integral role it has played in the wing’s mission as it made the conversion from the KC-135 to the KC-46 over the past several years.
The names of the 12 jets are as follows; text is linked to imagery of local representatives as they stood in front of the jet named for their county/town:
The KC-46 is needed to maximize full-spectrum readiness, one of AMC’s strategic priorities, and generate credible capacity to Project the Joint Force anywhere in the world. The KC-46 reached its second Interim Capability Release milestone in August and is certified to refuel a variety of platforms, including the B-52, C-17, F-35, and the F-22.