Selfridge Air National Guard Base will host a new squadron of KC-46A refueling tankers from the Air Force, according to U.S. Sen. Gary Peters.
Peters confirmed that the base in Macomb County was chosen in an interview with 7 Action News on Thursday morning.
According to Peters, the Michigan delegation had a call with Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall III who said the base will be the site of the aircraft.
"This is something that we've been working on for quite some time," Peters said.
According to Peters, the base will replace the "aging squadron" of KC-135 aircraft, and they will go from eight KC-135s to 12 KC-46As, which means more personnel at the base as well.
"This is the new state-of-the-art aircraft. It has greater capabilities, advanced technology, it's more survivable. This is an aircraft that's going to be flying for the aircraft for 50 years," Peters said.
Peters said he and the Michigan congressional delegation have been working with the Air Force to get a new squadron at Selfridge, and that Michigan is one of 10 states that were working to get one of two squadrons.
"We have a tremendous facility at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. It is a wonderful base that has a lot of features that make it very important for the Air Force to make sure it continues to stay vibrant for the years to come," Peters said.
The base opened in 1917, and it's home to the 127th Wing. Primary aircraft at the base include the A-10 Thunderbolt II and KC-135 Stratotanker of the Michigan Air National Guard, CH-47 Chinook helicopters for the Michigan Army National Guard, HH-65 Dolphin helicopter for the U.S. Coast Guard and a variety of other helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft for Customs & Border Protection.
Michigan's congressional delegation has been working to get a squadron of aircraft at the base. In 2021, the U.S. Air Force chose a base in Arkansas to host an F-35 training center.
Peters said he also confirmed with Kendall that getting this squadron doesn't preclude the state from getting a future man-fighter mission.
"He was very clear. We are still int he running if there are fighter missions available that we can compete for those to get," Peters said. "But we should also appreciate the fact that now we have a replacement for another aging aircraft."
It's not clear when the aircraft will arrive at Selfridge.
What is the KC-46A?
According to the Air Force, the KC-46A is "the first phase in recapitalizing the U.S. Air Force's aging tanker fleet."
It has greater refueling, cargo and aeromedical evacuation capabilities compared to the KC-135, and it will provide refueling support for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and partner nations.
The Air Force said it's capable of refueling most fixed-win, receiver-capable aircraft.
It's been in development since 2011 with the initial flight happening in December 2014. The first aircraft was delivered to McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas on Jan. 25, 2019.
Built by Boeing, the plane is 159 feet long with a 156-foot wingspan and has 62,000 pounds of thrust.
