The 114th General Assembly honored a Knoxville-based Tennessee Air National Guard unit as they seek to secure the next generation of air refueling aircraft.
House Joint Resolution 36, sponsored byState Rep. Lowell Russell, R-Vonore, recognizes the 134th Air Refueling Wing of the Tennessee Air National Guard (TANG) stationed at McGhee-Tyson Air National Guard Base (ANGB) and urged the U.S. Air Force to select the unit to receive the KC-46 Pegasus.
“The men and women of the 134th Air Refueling Wing have demonstrated unwavering dedication in service to both our state and nation for decades,” Russell said. “The cutting-edge facilities at McGhee-Tyson ANGB make it clear that this unit is the ideal choice for the KC-46 Pegasus.”
KC-46 Pegasus, a new tanker aircraft developed by the U.S. Air Force, will replace the aging air refueling fleet of KC-135 Stratotankers, which first entered service more than 60 years ago.
In recent years, McGhee-Tyson has made significant improvements in preparation for the potential arrival of the KC-46, including a $134 million 10,000-foot runway, and a $32.4 million maintenance hangar to house the tanker. The unit also published a KC-46 conversion study in 2022, highlighting the benefits of placing the tankers at McGhee-Tyson ANGB.
The 134th Air Refueling Wing of the Tennessee Air National Guard has been based out of the McGhee Tyson ANGB since 1957.
Russell was joined by several lawmakers on Feb. 11 to present the resolution to senior military officials of the unit and Tennessee Air National Guard. You can read the entire resolution here.
Lowell Russell represents District 21 which includes part of Loudon and Monroe Counties.
