Air Force selects Tennessee site for KC-46 Pegasus refueling craft base

The U.S. Air Force said Wednesday that McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base outside of Knoxville is its choice for the main operating base of the new KC-46 Pegasus refueling aircraft.

The Tennessee congressional delegation lobbied to host the aircraft for two years. The final decision about the base, home to the National Guard's 134th Air Refueling Wing, will be made in 2027, according to an Air Force news release. If approved, the base will receive its first eight aircraft in 2031.

“The 134th Air Refueling Wing’s exceptional readiness and 115% manpower strength made Tennessee the clear choice for this critical mission," said U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., in a statement. "This decision secures more than 1,500 jobs, protects over $200 million annually for our economy, and strengthens America’s air refueling capacity for decades to come.”

The KC-46 Pegasus will replace the KC-135 Stratotanker, which has been used by the Air Force since 1957, according to U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.

“McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base has a long, distinguished record of excellence, and today’s announcement reaffirms what we’ve known all along,” Blackburn said. “Designating McGhee Tyson as a main operating base for the KC-46 Pegasus will strengthen our national security by providing rapid access to key operational areas at home and abroad while supporting jobs for Tennesseans."