Today, Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-41) praised the announcement from the U.S. Air Force to replace 12 KC-135 aircraft with 12 KC-46A aircraft and base them at March Air Reserve Base (ARB). Rep. Calvert, who serves as Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, had previously spearheaded a bipartisan effort by members of the Southern California Delegation in support of March ARB being selected as an operating base for the KC-46 tanker.
“The announcement by the Air Force confirms that March ARB will be home to the next generation of air tankers,” said Rep. Calvert. “Riverside County has played a critical role in supporting our national security for more than a century, and the decision to base KC-46 tankers at March will ensure our region will continue those contributions long into the future. In addition to the tremendous impact these aircraft will have in supporting our men and women in uniform, the basing decision also means a number of new jobs are coming to our communities in support of this critical mission.”
Yesterday's announcement by the Air Force comes after a multiyear process by the department to determine March ARB met all the mission and capacity requirements. The department also completed the required environmental analysis.
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