(Photo from Key Field Air National Guard Base on Facebook)
- The full Magnolia State delegation has been actively advocating for Key Field to be the home of the new military refueling and strategic transport plane.
Mississippi’s congressional delegation received word Thursday from the U.S. Air Force that Meridian’s Key Field is officially in the running to be the future home of the new KC-46 aircraft.
The full Magnolia State delegation has been actively advocating for Key Field to be the home of the military refueling and strategic transport plane for well over a year. In April, both U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) along with Congressmen Trent Kelly (R-MS 1), Bennie Thompson (D-MS 2), Michael Guest (R-MS 3) and Mike Ezell (R-MS 4) sent a letter to Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall outlining why Key Field in Meridian should be selected.
READ MORE: Mississippi Congressional delegation urges Air Force to select Meridian’s Key Field for KC-46 home
According to the Air Force, the nation-wide candidate field has been narrowed to seven, in what is called a “down-selection.”
“Making it this far in the down-selection process is an accomplishment. If Key Field is ultimately chosen, it would cement and extend the base’s role in our country’s national security infrastructure for decades to come,” Senator Wicker said in a statement.
Wicker is the highest-ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“For the Meridian community, this would be a significant investment,” Wicker added. “It would bring more service members and families, as well as direct and indirect jobs, to the area. This is one of my top priorities.”
Key Field is already home to KC-135 air refueling tankers that provide rapid global mobility and combat support to the U.S. Department of Defense. The 186th Air Refueling Wing (ARW), which hosts over 1,200 officers and airmen, operates these planes out of Key Field.
The KC-46s would replace the aging KC-135 tankers currently in service at Key Field.
Senator Hyde-Smith said the news was a positive development.
“As the process moves forward, we will continue to forcefully make the case that Key Field will be the best place for this important mission,” Hyde-Smith said.
Third District Congressman Michael Guest hosted a roundtable at the Mississippi National Guard’s 186th Air Refueling Wing at Key Field Air National Guard Base in September 2023, bringing local and state leaders together to rally support for the effort to have the KC-46s located in Meridian
The 186th Air Refueling Wing is one of the few military installations that can handle the new plane without needing to make major changes to a base. The delegation has touted the airfield as a prime location in the vicinity of refueling tracks over the Southeastern United States and the Gulf of Mexico, enabling rapid servicing of Air Force and joint service aircraft fleets, including strategic communications aircraft.
In addition, the Meridian community already has infrastructure and support services in place that will benefit next generation air refueling capabilities, the delegation contends.
“The 186th Air Refueling Wing in Meridian is a leader in aerial refueling, and I am pleased that Key Field Air National Guard Base is one of seven sites that is advancing in the KC-46A basing decision process,” said Congressman Guest. “I am grateful for the unity of our entire Mississippi Congressional Delegation—Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith and Representatives Bennie Thompson, Trent Kelly, and Mike Ezell—as well as the support of our State and local leadership for this effort. I appreciate the Air Force’s consideration of Key Field and look forward to the opportunity to showcase the 186th ARW’s capabilities as we move into the next phase of this decision.”
