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        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Austin Bekkum, a crew chief assigned to the 128th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 128th Air Refueling Wing, Wisconsin National Guard, performs maintenance on a KC-135 Stratotanker wing as part of pre-flight procedures during exercise Air Defender 2023 at Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, June 2, 2023. Air Defender 2023, running June 12-23, is the largest air forces redeployment exercise since NATO was founded, integrating both U.S. and allied airpower to defend shared values, while leveraging and strengthening vital partnerships to deter aggression around the world. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Kellen Kroening)U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Austin Bekkum, a crew chief assigned to the 128th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 128th Air Refueling Wing, Wisconsin National Guard, performs maintenance on a KC-135 Stratotanker wing as part of pre-flight procedures during exercise Air Defender 2023 at Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, June 2, 2023. Air Defender 2023, running June 12-23, is the largest air forces redeployment exercise since NATO was founded, integrating both U.S. and allied airpower to defend shared values, while leveraging and strengthening vital partnerships to deter aggression around the world. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Kellen Kroening)
                
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        A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon with the 140th Wing, Colorado National Guard, approaches a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 128th Air Refueling Wing, Wisconsin National Guard, as it prepares to receive fuel as part of an air bridge in preparation for exercise Air Defender 2023 over the Atlantic Ocean, June 3, 2023. Air Defender 2023, running June 12-23, is the largest air forces redeployment exercise since NATO was founded, integrating both U.S. and allied airpower to defend shared values, while leveraging and strengthening vital partnerships to deter aggression around the world. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Kellen Kroening)A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon with the 140th Wing, Colorado National Guard, approaches a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 128th Air Refueling Wing, Wisconsin National Guard, as it prepares to receive fuel as part of an air bridge in preparation for exercise Air Defender 2023 over the Atlantic Ocean, June 3, 2023. Air Defender 2023, running June 12-23, is the largest air forces redeployment exercise since NATO was founded, integrating both U.S. and allied airpower to defend shared values, while leveraging and strengthening vital partnerships to deter aggression around the world. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Kellen Kroening)
                
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128th ARW provides air bridge in support of Air Defender 2023Published June 13, 2023
                    
                    By Air Force Master Sgt. Kellen Kroening
                    
                    
                    128th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
            **NAVAL AIR STATION KEFLAVIK, Iceland (AFNS) --**The **128th Air Refueling Wing** facilitated an air bridge June 3 leading U.S. Air Force aircraft to exercise **Air Defender 2023**. The German-led, live-fly **NATO** exercise is scheduled to include 235 aircraft from 25 nations and more than 10,000 personnel throughout Europe.
The 128th ARW **KC-135 Stratotankers** acted as a flying gas station, using a boom system to transfer fuel to the receiving aircraft, maximizing operational efficiency and reducing transit times.
By providing fuel to the transport aircraft, the KC-135 tanker ensures they can reach their destinations without frequent stops for refueling. This capability is especially valuable when transporting time-sensitive cargo or operating in areas where fueling infrastructure is limited or unavailable.
“The whole point of this [exercise] is to integrate with our multinational partners and show that we can seamlessly work as one large coalition force,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Brandyn Dietman, 128th ARW deputy director of air refueling.The air bridge is vital for exercises like Air Defender 2023, where multiple NATO-member air forces and allied countries come together to enhance cooperation, interoperability and readiness. To practice for real defense scenarios, it is imperative that forces can rapidly deploy to different locations.
“Moving 100 aircraft over the ocean in the matter of four or five flying days is a monumental feat,” Dietman said. “Fighter aircraft can’t make it over by themselves, so they need the tankers to build the air bridge to help them get over.”
Air Defender 2023, running June 12-23, is the largest air forces redeployment exercise since NATO was founded.
Engaging in air bridge operations during the AD23 exercise highlights the 128th ARW’s capabilities and demonstrates the U.S. commitment to its allies.
The hard work of everybody working together, whether it’s your unit-level personnel putting together the aircraft, putting the plans together, making sure the funds are full, making sure that everything is going to happen, is awesome,” Dietman said. “From a year’s worth of work that we’ve put into this, I’m super proud of everyone at the 128th Air Refueling Wing and the hard work they’ve done.”


            
        
        
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