Congressman Michael Guest, R-Miss., will be hosting a roundtable discussion at the Key Field Air National Guard Base in Meridian on Monday.
The base is one of only a few hangars in the entire Air National Guard that can hold two KC-135s or house the KC-46 with no significant modifications — a substantial cost savings to the U.S. Air Force.
The roundtable will begin at 1:30 p.m. with local and federal leaders discussing efforts to bring the KC-46 and a new refueling mission to the base. According to members of Mississippi’s congressional delegation, Key Field is ready to receive the new aircraft replacing the KC-135 Stratotanker.
“America’s pilot pipeline runs through Mississippi, and our best-in-class assets at Key Field help fuel American air power,” U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said. “I appreciate the Air Force for recognizing the need for additional training opportunities and investing in Meridian.”
Back in March, Wicker along with Guest and Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., announced that new flight simulators for the KC-135 tanker plane will be installed at Key Field Air National Guard Base. The additional training capabilities at Key Field have long been a priority for lawmakers.
