Photo By Tech. Sgt. Victoria Nelson | Aircrew from the 157th Air Refueling Wing participate in the Air Mobility Command’s...... read more read more
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PEASE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.H. -- The 157th Air Refueling Wing celebrated a significant milestone with a mission in the skies over New England June 27.
The refueling sortie was a part of the Air Mobility Command’s Operation Centennial Contact. The AMC coordinated a total of 152 refueling aircraft and receivers from all 50 states to mark the 100th anniversary of the first air-to-air refueling.
“Being a part of this larger mission gives you a kind of perspective and appreciation for how far aviation and refueling have come in a relatively short amount of time,” said Tech. Sgt. Matthew Rogers, a boom operator with the 157th Operations Group.
On June 27, 1923, 1st Lt. Virgil Hine and 1st Lt. Frank W. Seifert, flying a De Haviland DH-4B with the United States Army Air Service, passed 75 gallons of gasoline through a hose to Capt. Lowell H. Smith and 1st Lt. John P. Richter in a DH-4B flying beneath them. This was the first air refueling using a gravity-flow hose.
One hundred years later, this critical capability continues to be essential for the Department of Defense’s most vital missions.
“Air refueling opened the door to rapid global response and global reach," said Lt. Col. Gregg Van Splunder, commander of the 260th Air Traffic Control Squadron. "The mission hasn't changed but our capabilities to be a force multiplier have."
New Hampshire Air National Guard began their rich legacy of air refueling in 1975 with the arrival of the KC-135 Stratotanker. The KC-135 replaced the C-130 Hercules and the Wing was redesignated from the 157th Military Airlift Group to the 157th Air Refueling Unit. The Airmen supported global operations with the KC-135 for another 43 years until the final divestiture in 2018.
The 157th ARW received its first of 12 KC-46 Pegasus in 2019 and implemented the first iteration of the Air Force’s most modern tanker into the Air National Guard mission set.
"We have been able to make huge strides for the future of air power," said Col. Nelson Perron, the 157th ARW commander. "The technological advancements of this aircraft and the ingenuity of our Airmen ensures we’re ready to handle any dynamic challenges the future may hold and that we remain relevant on the global stage."
In 2022, Airmen from Pease completed the longest flight in KC-46 history at 36 hours, a feat that would not have been achievable without the decades of advancements in air-to-air refueling.
“The fact that we can now both receive and give fuel means we can get anywhere in the world and stay airborne as long as we are needed,” said Col. Brian Carloni, the 157th Operations Group commander. "And this is just the beginning."
Since the arrival of the KC-46, Pease has been a force extender, providing unrivaled rapid global reach for the Joint Force, Allies and partners around the globe. The wing's mission expands Air Force lethality by increasing the speed, range, flexibility, and versatility of combat aircraft.
“This is about more than just refueling," said Carloni. "Air-to-air contacts enable us to extend our receivers flight time, carry more cargo, or support more passengers."
"That means the Air Force as a whole can complete missions that might have been impossible or would have required multiple stops otherwise," he explained. "We are an essential part of strategic and tactical operations."
As an Air National Guard unit, the 157th ARW supplements AMC missions to ensure continued global reach with the same capability developed and entrusted to Airmen a century ago.
"Air refueling is our nation's strongest capability to project power and to project hope anywhere in the globe," said Gen. Michael Minihan, Air Mobility Command commander. "And as amazing as our tankers are, it is our Airmen that are really the magic. Airmen have ensured that 100 years of air dominance was provided by air refueling and Airmen in the future will ensure that continued dominance."
| Date Taken: | 06.27.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 06.29.2023 11:20 |
| Story ID: | 448281 |
| Location: | NEW HAMPSHIRE, US |
| Web Views: | 162 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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