186th Air Refueling Wing The 186th Air Refueling Wing ( 168 ARW ) is a unit of the Mississippi Air National Guard located at Key Field Air National Guard Base , Mississippi . The 153d Air Refueling Squadron , assigned to the Wings 186th Operation Group , is a descendant organization of the 158th Observation Squadron , established on 18 August 1939 . It is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II . Overview . The 186th ARW provides worldwide air refueling support to major commands of the United States Air Force , as well as other U . S . military forces and the military forces of allied nations flying the KC - 135 Stratotanker . Currently , the 186th is in conversion to the C - 27J tactical airlift aircraft . Due to immediate demands from theatre commanders , unit members are diligently working to fulfill training requirements while other members are already deployed . By 2014 the wing is expected to support and operational squadron and serve as the formal training unit for all C - 27 crew training . With over 1 , 200 officers and Airmen , the 186th is made up of mostly traditional guardsmen who live and work throughout Mississippi and surrounding states , but about one third of our members are full - time Air technicians or Active Guard / Reserve . Tenant units on Key Field include the 238th Air Support Operations Squadron , the 248th Air Traffic Control Support , and the 286th Air Operations Group as well as two Army National Guard units located next to our base . The 186th Air Refueling Wing also supports a C - 26 aircraft , modified to conduct intelligence , surveillance and reconnaissance mission in the U . S . and overseas . Stateside , the C - 26 supports local , state and federal law enforcement agencies in counterdrug efforts while overseas missions support imagery collection taskings for combatant commanders . The C - 26 program has worked directly with law enforcement agencies since 1996 providing National Guard unique support to battle illegal narcotics and illicit drugs . Missions are conducted daily , and include locations throughout the continental U . S . Overseas deployments to date have supported Department of Defense and USSOUTHCOM objectives in South America . The C - 26 is manned full - time and the program is managed through the Mississippi National Guard Counterdrug Coordinator ' s office in conjunction with other counterdrug programs that assist our communities and nation through the Governor ' s Counterdrug State Plan . In its 2005 BRAC Recommendations , DoD recommended to realign Key Field Air Guard Station , MS . It would distribute the 186th Air Refueling Wing ’ s KC - 135R aircraft to the 128th Air Refueling Wing ( ANG ) , General Mitchell Air Guard Station , WI ( three aircraft ) ; the 134th Air Refueling Wing ( ANG ) , McGhee - Tyson Airport Air Guard Station , TN ( three aircraft ) ; and 101st Air Refueling Wing ( ANG ) , Bangor International Airport Air Guard Station , ME ( two aircraft ) . One aircraft would revert to backup aircraft inventory . The 186th Air Refueling Wing ’ s fire fighter positions would move to the 172d Air Wing at Jackson International Airport , MS , and the expeditionary combat support ( ECS ) would remain in place . History . On 15 October 1962 , the Mississippi Air National Guard 153d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was authorized to expand to a group level , and the 186th Tactical Reconnaissance Group was established by the National Guard Bureau . The 153d TRS becoming the group ' s flying squadron . Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 186th Headquarters , 186th Material Squadron ( Maintenance ) , 186th Combat Support Squadron , and the 186th USAF Dispensary . Initially equipped with RF - 84F Thunderflash tactical reconnaissance aircraft , the unit trained in normal peacetime operations . In 1970 Tactical Air Command retired the RF - 84s and they were replaced by the RF - 101C Voodoo . In 1979 the Voodoos were again replaced by RF - 4C Phantom II s . RF - 101C 56 - 0166 , on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force , served with the 186th TRG . The aircraft was flown directly from Key Field to the Wright - Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio on its final flight 27 October 1978 . In 1990 during the Gulf Crisis , several aircraft and support personnel were activated and deployed to Doha International Airport , Qatar , being part of the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing ( Provisional ) during Operation Desert Shield , Operation Desert Storm . In 1992 the squadron ' s 186th Tactical Reconnaissance Group was realigned to an air refueling unit as the RF - 4Cs were retired . The squadron was equipped with KC - 135 Stratotanker s and placed initially under Air Combat Command , later under Air Mobility Command . The 153d Air Refueling Squadron has seen worldwide duty with the KC - 135s , supporting Operation Display Determination , Operation Provide Relief , Operation Restore Hope , Operation Support Justice , Operation Deny Flight , Operation Northern Watch , Operation Noble Eagle , Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom . In September 2008 the Air Force and Air National Guard officials agreed to establish a temporary mission qualification training detachment called " Project Liberty " for the MC - 12 aircraft at Key Field in Meridian , Mississippi . This mission , conducted by the Mississippi Air National Guard , will help bolster the Department of Defense ' s intelligence gathering capability in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom . On 29 April 2009 , the first MC - 12W aircraft meant for training arrived at Key Field . This mission , designated Project Liberty , will train approximately 1 , 000 students during the next two years at the 186th Air Refueling Wing , located at Key Field . The 186th ARW will conduct total force mission qualification training for this program , providing the manpower and facilities for the training unit . The MC - 12 has four aircrew members — two pilots , a sensor operator and a signals intelligence specialist , all trained at the Mississippi Air National Guard ’ s Key Field in Meridian . The sensor operator controls the full - motion video camera , and the SigInt specialist operates “ Pennant Race , ” an advanced version of the SigInt package found on unmanned MQ - 9 Reapers .