A Milestone Arrival at Travis Air Force Base
The U.S. Air Force has achieved a significant modernization milestone with the delivery of its 100th KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling tanker, underscoring the service’s escalating global mobility capabilities. The achievement was marked by the arrival of the 99th and 100th aircraft at Travis Air Force Base (SUU) in California, strengthening Air Mobility Command’s (AMC) growing tanker fleet.
Both aircraft originated from Boeing’s Paine Field production site in Washington and were flown in formation by senior Air Force leaders. Lt. Gen. John P. Healy piloted the 99th KC-46A, while Gen. John D. Lamontagne, AMC commander, delivered the 100th tanker. The symbolic delivery flight highlighted the Pegasus’s expanding operational importance across the joint force.
The KC-46A’s Expanding Role
Designed as a multi-mission platform, the KC-46A Pegasus provides aerial refueling, cargo and passenger transport, aeromedical evacuation, and advanced defensive capabilities. Air Force officials noted that the 100th delivery reflects years of progress by engineers, manufacturers, aircrews, and acquisition teams dedicated to maturing the aircraft’s performance.
During the milestone ceremony, service leaders emphasized the Pegasus’s evolving capabilities and its role in extending operational reach across global theaters. AMC described the occasion as a testament to strengthened global mobility and growing mission readiness.
The Air Force Reserve also highlighted the significance of the achievement, noting its alignment with the service’s “Ready Now” posture. Total Force integration remains a key element in sustaining the tanker’s global operational tempo.
Steady Gains in Operational Capability
Since the first KC-46A arrived at McConnell Air Force Base in 2019, the aircraft has undergone rapid advancement and testing. By mid-2022, the Pegasus had achieved eligibility for 97 percent of daily joint refueling missions following extensive evaluations under the Interim Capability Release process.
The aircraft has since refueled U.S. and allied aircraft during major joint exercises and real-world missions, reinforcing its value to the joint force.
KC-46A crews have also pushed operational boundaries. In 2022, the 22nd Air Refueling Wing successfully tested reduced-crew operations using only a pilot and boom operator, demonstrating the aircraft’s ability to launch quickly in high-threat scenarios. Two years later, the same wing executed a nonstop westbound circumnavigation flight lasting 45 hours—an endurance record highlighting the tanker’s long-range capability.
By 2025, KC-46A units had participated in key global operations, including missions under U.S. Central Command and support for Operation Midnight Hammer. These efforts illustrate how the aircraft continues to expand its operational reach as new capabilities mature.
Growing Strategic Presence Across the Force
The KC-46A Pegasus is now stationed across several major Air Force installations, including Altus, McConnell, Pease Air National Guard Base, Seymour Johnson, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, and Travis Air Force Base. Additional bases are expected to join the fleet as production continues.
The delivery of the 100th aircraft underscores the collaborative effort behind the platform’s development and deployment. Engineers, manufacturers, federal partners, and operational units all contribute to transforming each tanker from an assembly-line product into a mission-ready asset.
AMC leaders emphasized that this collective progress remains vital to modernizing the nation’s refueling capabilities for the next generation of air operations.
A Defining Moment for U.S. Air Mobility
With the KC-46A continuing to integrate new technologies and tactics, the tanker stands as a central pillar in sustaining global reach and readiness for the U.S. Air Force. Its ability to refuel a broad range of aircraft, transport cargo, and conduct aeromedical evacuation ensures it will remain an indispensable asset across joint operations.
The arrival of the 100th Pegasus marks more than a fleet milestone—it reflects the Air Force’s commitment to building a resilient, reliable, and rapidly deployable refueling enterprise capable of supporting the demands of modern warfare.
As the KC-46A program expands across the Total Force, the aircraft is poised to shape the future of U.S. air mobility for decades to come.
