Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is one of 11 military bases under consideration to house the Air Force's new KC-46 tankers, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith said Wednesday.

Smith (R-4th Dist.) said the base narrowly missed out in the last round of competition to house the tankers three years ago, and was hopeful that it would be selected this time around.

"I am confident that after an objective and thorough review, the joint base will once again be given serious consideration and hopefully, ultimately chosen," Smith said.

Obama used the joint base in December 2014 as the backdrop for announcing the end of combat operations in Afghanistan.

Being selected to house the new tankers could protect McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst from being shut down or scaled back in a future round of military base closings. New Jersey lawmakers have expressed concern that the base could be targeted, and helped push thorough provisions in both the defense policy and government spending bills for the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30 to block a new round of base closings.

In addition, both bills also prevent the Pentagon from moving or retiring any of the KC-10 refueling tanker planes now located at the base.

Smith said the Air Force will pare down the list of candidates to house the new tankers this spring.

"I look forward to working with joint base and Air Force officials, our local community and the delegation to continue to make the case for this and other missions to be located in New Jersey," Smith said.

This article was originally published by NJ.com (Star Ledger) online at:
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/01/will_the_joint_base_receive_a_new_fleet_of_tankers.html