DefenceTalkAs the Air Force gets ready for the arrival of its newest aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft, a diverse group of Airmen is working hard to make sure the KC-46A Pegasus is ready to meet the service’s needs. Lt. Col. John Mikal is one of them. Mikal, a reservist KC-135 Stratotanker instructor pilot […]https://www.defencetalk.com/usaf-putting-the-kc-46a-pegasus-through-its-paces-67185/

DefenceTalkTINKER AIR FORCE BASE: KC-135R Stratotankers operated by the 507th Air Refueling Wing are scheduled to be the first Air Force Reserve Command tankers to be retrofitted with the new KC-135 Block 45 upgrade at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex here in February 2016. The latest KC-135 upgrade, called Block 45, will completely remodel […]https://www.defencetalk.com/reserve-kc-135s-to-begin-upgrades-in-february-66205/

DefenceTalkFollowing Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s announcement today during Senate testimony that the United States is augmenting its participation in NATO’s air policing mission in the Baltics and will increase joint training through its aviation detachment in Poland, a defense official provided additional information. In a statement provided on background, the official said the United States […]https://www.defencetalk.com/6-f-15s-kc-135-to-augment-nato-mission-in-baltics-58946/

DefenceTalkTRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan: The Transit Center’s final aerial refueling mission over Afghanistan landed here Feb. 24, completing the end of an era. After six hours of traveling, refueling A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, and F-16 Fighting Falcons, the KC-135 Stratotanker touched down to a fanfare of saluting Airmen. Col. Mike Seiler, the 376th Expeditionary Operations […]https://www.defencetalk.com/manas-kc-135s-complete-final-mission-leave-kyrgyzstan-58895/

DefenceTalkKnown as “The Mighty War Wagon” of the Air Force, the KC-135 Stratotanker has proven to be the core aerial refueling capability for the Air Force for more than 50 years. With the help of the 418th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards, along with a multitude of testers, the KC-135 Block 45 test team recently […]https://www.defencetalk.com/edwards-completes-tests-to-extend-kc-135-47610/