McConnell AFB commander announces major exercise next week, airshow in September

Things have been busy at McConnell Air Force Base over the past few months and are going to get even busier this next week, as we work to expand and refine our capabilities.

We have a Large-Scale Readiness Exercise planned to begin Monday and run through this Friday, to evaluate and train our airmen for worldwide operations with a special focus on near-peer competitors.

In what is a somewhat rare move for most bases in the continental United States, we will set up a tent city on McConnell, where a motivated group of our airmen will live, work, and sleep for the better part of a week, operating from a field environment.

There will be the usual sirens, explosions, and Giant Voice loudspeakers on base – simulating warnings and threats – but ultimately their job is to accomplish a mission, no matter what obstacle is thrown their way.

We will be a better wing, and a better base with more capable airmen when this exercise is completed.

No spoilers here on the exercise scenario, but know that we’ll test our abilities to generate, launch, operate, recover, and sustain aircraft, at times in rapid succession. This week’s exercise is just the latest example of the work underway to expand and improve our capabilities, and what we offer to the Air Force and the Joint Force.

We are accomplishing this exercise with the backbone of aerial refueling, the KC-135R Stratotanker, as well as the newest tanker aircraft in the Air Force inventory, the KC-46A Pegasus.

The 22d Air Refueling Wing is pushing the boundaries of what the KC-46 can accomplish and making previous milestones into routine operations.

The team here has accomplished a lot of KC-46 ‘firsts’ in getting to this point.

These firsts include wins like the first Minimum Interval Takeoffs — formation takeoffs with 12 second spacing between aircraft — the first KC-46 alert launch, first night-vision-goggle takeoffs and landings, first rapid defuel, etc.

Another key first is what we call “hot-pit refueling.” That’s on- or off-loading fuel while an aircraft’s engines are still running, which allows our aircraft to spend the minimal amount of time on the ground.

You should be proud of your airmen at McConnell.

The air refueling mission we accomplish is critical to our nation’s air power and global mobility, since no aircraft – military or civilian – gets very far without fuel.

Here’s the deal, we couldn’t do any of this without strong community support.

The KC-46 wouldn’t be at McConnell without the dedication and teamwork of our local community leaders.

We have over 7,000 service members and civilians who call McConnell Air Force Base and south central Kansas home.

Significant numbers of airman have always called Wichita, Derby, and Andover home, and we are now seeing airmen move into other parts of south central Kansas. This includes great and welcoming communities like Mulvane, Haysville, Bel Aire, and Maize.

I’ve always said that an airman is the best person you can have in your community. We are great neighbors, we pay our property taxes on time, and we volunteer as Little League coaches, Scout leaders, and homeroom moms and dads.

We enjoy living here and appreciate the wonderful support you’ve shown through the years.

McConnell produces $850 million in economic impact annually.

We think we can give more. In that vein, the 22d Air Refueling Wing recently volunteered to became an Aviation Inspiration Mentorship Wing. That means we actively reach out to the community with a specific focus on youth, looking to bring parts of the community on base. We want to serve the entire community with a special emphasis on underserved and underprivileged kids.

Giving back is important to us, and to me personally, and we want to ensure that we help the local communities identify and develop talent, no matter where that talent comes from.

We love our community and that’s why we think it is important to invite you to come out and see us again.

Mark your calendars for Sept. 24-25, because the skies of McConnell will see a host of aerial performances during the Frontiers in Flight Air Show, featuring the Air Force Thunderbirds.

A range of aircraft can be seen close-up on the ground, and you will have the chance to meet our airmen and tour the aircraft we fly worldwide from here.

We are McConnell. People depend on us. And we’ll be there.

We are proud of our base and our airmen. We are also so proud of the enduring connection we have with the local community and thank you for your continuous support.

This story was originally published April 29, 2022 at 1:00 PM.