WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S Air Force notified Mississippi’s Congressional Delegation that Key Field in Meridian is officially in the running to be the future home of the new KC-46 aircraft. The nation-wide candidate field has been narrowed to seven, in what is called a “down-selection.”

Mississippi’s Congressional Delegation has worked for years to make sure Key Field, an Air National Guard Base, is seen as a strong candidate for the selection.

“Making it this far in the down-selection process is an accomplishment. If Key Field is ultimately chosen, it would cement and extend the base’s role in our country’s national security infrastructure for decades to come,” U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said. “For the Meridian community, this would be a significant investment. It would bring more service members and families, as well as direct and indirect jobs, to the area. This is one of my top priorities.”

"We welcome this positive development for the future of Key Field and Lauderdale County.  As the process moves forward, we will continue to forcefully make the case that Key Field will be the best place for this important mission," Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., said.

“The 186th Air Refueling Wing (ARW) in Meridian is a leader in aerial refueling, and I am pleased that Key Field Air National Guard Base is one of seven sites that is advancing in the KC-46A basing decision process,” said Congressman Michael Guest (MS-03). “I am grateful for the unity of our entire Mississippi Congressional Delegation—Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith and Representatives Bennie Thompson, Trent Kelly, and Mike Ezell—as well as the support of our State and local leadership for this effort. I appreciate the Air Force’s consideration of Key Field and look forward to the opportunity to showcase the 186th ARW’s capabilities as we move into the next phase of this decision.”

Key factors that have made Key Field a potential home for the KC-46s, a military refueling and strategic transport plane:

• Key Field is already home to KC-135 planes, which are air refueling tankers that provide rapid global mobility and combat support to the U.S. Department of Defense. The 186th Air Refueling Wing (ARW), which hosts over 1,200 officers and airmen, operates these planes out of Key Field. The KC-46s would replace the aging KC-135 tankers currently in service at Key Field.
• The 186^th ARW is one of the few military installations that can handle the new plane without needing to make major changes to a base.
• The airfield is in a prime location in the vicinity of refueling tracks over the Southeastern United States and the Gulf of Mexico, enabling rapid servicing of Air Force and joint service aircraft fleets, including strategic communications aircraft.
• The Meridian community already has infrastructure and support services in place that will benefit next generation air refueling capabilities.