Letter to Deborah James, Secretary of the Air Force - KC-46A Squaldron in Johnson Base

Letter

Dear Secretary James:

We applaud the Air Force's recent announcement to include Seymour Johnson Air Force Base (SJAFB or Seymour Johnson) as a candidate to host the first Air Force Reserve-led KC-46A squadron. We welcome the opportunity to highlight SJAFB's attributes and offer key factors that we believe strongly support SJAFB being selected as the preferred location for the KC-46A Main Operating Base (MOB) 3.

The 916th Air Refueling Wing (ARW) is an award-winning Active Associate unit with a rich and proud history of global deployments in support of U.S. and NATO missions. The 916th off-loaded the most fuel of any Air Force unit during Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield, and has also been a vital component in support of Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, New Dawn, and Odyssey Dawn as well as air bridge operations to Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia. The Unit's air refueling time is unmatched and the experience gained through these deployments has created seasoned professionals that are well prepared to transition to the KC-46A. The 916th has the talent and experience needed to be the Air Force's first Reserve-led KC-46A unit.

Seymour Johnson's strategic location on the east coast is an ideal location to host the KC-46A and will position the Air Force to take full advantage of unparalleled opportunities to support the Joint Chiefs of Staff priority missions, support global strike missions and participate in dynamic training.

The Air Force has, and continues to, make critical investments in SJAFB's infrastructure that will pay long-term dividends for a KC-46A squadron. These strategic modernizations include:

expanded runway aprons that will provide peripheral taxi lanes that accommodate pull-through capability to better support the mission of the current 16 KC-135 unit. The expansion will ensure ample ramp space that will accommodate the needs of a 12-aircraft KC-46A unit.
installation of a modern hydrant fuel system that is pressurized and will include loop piping, hydrant pits, underground storage tanks, and fill stands. This critical update will ensure a robust refueling system is available for decades to support the 4th Fighter Wing, 916th ARW, and a KC-46A squadron.
construction of a new $53 million, 106,500 square foot medical facility that will provide unrivalled patient care for SJAFB's Airmen and their families which will improve quality of life and combat readiness.
Seymour Johnson also offers the Air Force an extremely competitive and low-cost option for KC-46A MOB 3 basing. Living expenses in the City of Goldsboro and Wayne County are low and construction costs for the Air Force are equally advantageous. We believe these factors should be strongly considered in the Air Force's basing decision.

Along with favorable economics, there have been exceptional efforts taken by SJAFB to maintain air quality standards and minimize negative environmental impacts. Further, stakeholders at the city, county, and state levels have aggressively pursued efforts to reduce encroachment around SJAFB, training routes, and other training locations used by assets at SJAFB. These efforts will ensure long-term viability for a KC-46A unit and long-term benefits for the Air Force.

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and the 916th ARW offer the Air Force strategic military value, a proven combat record, experienced personnel, newly modernized infrastructure and facilities, and strong support from the Goldsboro community and the state. We believe Seymour Johnson is the ideal choice for the first Air Force Reserve-led KC-46A unit, and strongly support its selection as the MOB 3 for the KC-46A Pegasus aerial tanker.

Thank you very much.

Very truly yours,