MENENDEZ, MILITARY LEADERS WELCOME NEW AIRCRAFT TO JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST

Statement

Yesterday, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez joined command leaders and members of the New Jersey Congressional Delegation at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL) to welcome the next-generation mid-air refueling aircraft, the KC-46A Pegasus. The new tankers will ensure the long-term viability of the air refueling mission at the Joint Base and maintain base's critical role in our nation's security mission. Sen. Menendez has long advocated for the KC-46 tankers to be housed at JBMDL and fought to secure federal resources for JBMDL.

"As Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I know that the security challenges facing our nation and our allies have never been more complex or far-reaching," said Sen. Menendez. "America's armed forces must be able to defend our interests anywhere in the world at a moment's notice. Hosting the KC-46 secures this Joint Base's position as the indisputable East coast hub for aerial refueling that extends the Air Force's global reach."

"After years of working alongside my colleagues to secure this designation, I am pleased to see JBMDL serve as a permanent home for the KC-46A refueling aircraft," said U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.). "With its strategic location and strong track record, we have long known that JBMDL was the right choice for the KC-46A. This new mission will continue to support thousands of jobs at JBMDL, create economic opportunity for New Jersey, and strengthen our broader national security."

More than 44,000 service members, civilians and their families work, train, or live at the Joint Base, New Jersey's second largest employer whose mission is vital to both our national security and the state's economy. The air refueling mission of the Air Force's Air Mobility Command is a core mission at JBMDL, which is home to the 305th Air Mobility Wing (Active Component) that supports the delivery of cargo and personnel to combatant commanders abroad, and the 514th Air Mobility (Reserve Component). Both units currently fly the KC-10 Extender, which will be replaced with the new KC-46 tanker. The New Jersey Air National Guard's 108th Air Wing flies the KC-135 air refueling tanker.

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