Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Maj. Christopher Rinaman, 22nd Airlift Squadron C-5M Super Galaxy pilot, maneuvers a C-5M toward a KC-46A Pegasus assigned to McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., for an aerial refueling, Dec. 14. 2020, over Nevada. The KC-46A is the newest refueling aircraft of the U.S. Air Force.Maj. Christopher Rinaman, 22nd Airlift Squadron C-5M Super Galaxy pilot, maneuvers a C-5M toward a KC-46A Pegasus assigned to McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., for an aerial refueling, Dec. 14. 2020, over Nevada. The KC-46A is the newest refueling aircraft of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Chustine Minoda)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

AMC approves 4th KC-46A Pegasus ICR milestonePublished Dec. 8, 2021
                    
                    
                    Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
            **SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFNS) --****Gen. Mike Minihan**, commander of **Air Mobility Command**, approved a fourth Interim Capability Release (ICR) mission set for the **KC-46A Pegasus**, Dec. 6.
This ICR decision allows the KC-46A to refuel the **AC-130J Ghostrider**, **HC-130J Combat King II**, **MC-130J Commando II**, **C-5M Super Galaxy**and **E-3G Sentry** during **U.S. Transportation Command**-tasked missions.
“The KC-46A can now support nearly 70% of all receiver aircraft that request air refueling support from USTRANSCOM,” said Lt. Col. Kevin White, AMC’s deputy chief of Aircraft and Logistics Requirements Division and KC-46A Cross Functional Team deputy lead. “In addition, we are putting the Pegasus against our highest priority missions such as direct presidential support.”
The KC-46A ICR plan allows the Pegasus to conduct operational taskings that would otherwise be filled by the **KC-135 Stratotanker** and **KC-10 Extender**, increasing the force’s air refueling capacity and further seasoning total force Pegasus aircrews with operational missions.
On July 9, the first ICR decision approved the KC-46A Pegasus to refuel aircraft using its **Centerline Drogue System**. The second ICR decision, which approved the KC-46A **to refuel** the **B-52H Stratofortress**, **C-17 Globemaster III** and other KC-46 aircraft using its boom, was made Aug. 5. Approved on Oct. 15, the third decision allowed the KC-46A to refuel **all variants of the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon**.
There is no timeline associated with the overall ICR plan, which instead focuses on establishing incremental confidence measures that allow the AMC commander and other senior leaders to qualitatively and quantitatively assess achievements at ICR milestones. Crews will continue to fly training, exercise and demonstration missions until all operational confidence measures are met.
Despite existing restrictions and deficiencies, the KC-46A continues to demonstrate its growing operational capabilities. The Pegasus has completed over 6,000 missions, offloading more than 37.8 million pounds of fuel, and making 28,000 boom and 1,900 drogue contacts since January 2019.
On Nov. 9, **Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst**, New Jersey **welcomed its first two KC-46As**, bringing the total number of KC-46As in the Air Force inventory to 50. The KC-46A currently operates out of**McConnell Air Force Base**, Kansas.; **Seymour Johnson AFB**, North Carolina.; **Pease Air National Guard Base**, New Hampshire; and **Altus AFB**, Oklahoma.LR 



USAF 



AF 



Air Force 



KC-46A 



Pegasus 



ICR 



milestone 



Interim Capability Release 



AMC 



Air Mobility Command 



Aircraft 



readiness 



Scott AFB 



Gen. Mike Minihan 



USTRANSCOM Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil