Congressmen Chris Smith (NJ04) and Tom MacArthur (NJ03)—the two New Jersey Members who represent Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JB-MDL)—met today with Gen. Carlton Everhart, the four-star commander of Air Mobility Command (AMC) that oversees all U.S. air mobility missions, including JB-MDL, to discuss the Air Force’s aircraft basing process and the push for the Joint Base to receive the next round of KC-46 Pegasus air refueling tankers.

On January 13, 2016, the Air Force announced that JB-MDL made it into the list of 11 installations to be considered for the “Main Operating Base 4” (MOB4) designation—potentially receiving 24 or 36 new tankers to replace its current fleet of 32 KC-10s.

“The New Jersey Delegation has a strong record of demonstrating the value of the Joint Base and working in a bipartisan fashion to stave off ill-conceived proposals to close or realign the installation, while highlighting its ability to host new missions” said Smith. “We impressed upon Gen. Everhart the base’s strategic location, the skills of our workforce, and the capacity and infrastructure currently in place that will allow JB-MDL to easily absorb, and successfully execute, this mission.” 

“Today we had the chance to sit down with General Everhart, the four-star General who runs the Air Force Air Mobility Command, and discuss the strategic importance of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst,” said MacArthur.  “The Joint Base is one of the premier Air Mobility, Training and Technology hubs in the United States, which makes the Joint Base a unique and indispensable military asset to the United States Armed Forces. Because of this, we have worked hard to insulate the base and secure its future by protecting the KC-10, and we're fighting for the new KC-46s. I left the meeting confident that the Joint Base is a serious contender for mission placement, and I will use my position on the House Armed Services Committee to work in every way possible to make this happen.”

PHOTO: Gen. Everhart discusses Air Force issues, including
soon to be built KC-46 tankers and Joint Base McGuire Dix-Lakehurst.

JB-MDL is the nation’s only tri-service joint installation, host to active duty, Reserve and Guard units, and is Air Mobility Command’s premier East Coast refueling hub. It is a longtime tanker base, a critical East Coast mission to U.S. global reach over the Atlantic to Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The installations current KC-10 Extenders are continually targeted for retirement and stationing the KC-46s would help secure the mission and the installation for the long term. The base also has eight KC-135 Stratotankers, and 13 C-17 airlifters, or large cargo planes.

JB MDL is joined by 10 other installations in the running: Dover AFB, Dyess AFB, Fairchild AFB, Grand Forks AFB, JB Charleston, JB Lewis McChord, Little Rock AFB, MacDill AFB, Scott AFB and Travis AFB.

A list of approved candidates is scheduled to be announced this spring with a final basing decision expected by the end of next year.

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