(alarm Blaring)
- [Male On Radio] McConnell tower Medusa zero one,
initial runway 19 left.
- [Male On Radio] Medusa zero one heavy, roger
report left base runway 19 left.
- [Male On Radio] Medusa Zero one wilco.
- [Male On Radio] McConnell tower, Medusa zero two,
15 minutes out.
- [Male On Radio] Medusa zero two heading McConnell
tower copy.
(alarm blaring)
- [Male On Radio] Medusa zero one queue down left gates,
runway one nine left.
- [Male On Radio] Medusa zero one heavy,
roger runway 19 left at 240 at 15 (mumbles)
- [Male On Radio] Clear to land runway 19 left
Medusa zero one.
- [Male On Radio] Medusa zero one heavy welcome home
to McConnell, back taxi runway 19 left to taxi the ceremony.
- [Male On Radio] Medusa one wilco,
it's an honor to bring this awesome jet
home to Wichita.
- [Male On Radio] McConnell tower, Medusa zero two,
request maneuver to initial runway 19.
- [Male On Radio] Medusa zero two, heading McConnell tower
reported initial runway 19 right.
- [Male On Radio] Report initial 19 right Medusa zero two.
- [Male On Radio] Medusa zero two, heavy traffic,
nine o'clock three miles north bound, south (mumbles)
- [Male On Radio] Medusa zero two we're looking.
- [Male On Radio] Medusa zero two, heavy traffic,
10 o'clock two miles due south, 600 (mumbles)
- [Male On Radio] Medusa zero two, we have the
(audio breaking up)
- [Male On Radio] Medusa zero two, heavy,
roger reporting in from runway one nine.
- [Male On Radio] Wilco Medusa zero two.
- [Male On Radio] McConnell tower, Medusa zero two,
five mile initial one nine right.
- [Male On Radio] Medusa zero two, heavy roger,
report left base runway one nine right.
- [Male On Radio] McConnell left base one nine right
Medusa zero two.
- [Male] And ladies and gentlemen, she's in chocks,
Pegasus is home.
It's gonna take us a few minutes to get set up here,
but in the mean time please enjoy
the wonderful music provided today by Wichita's very own
Mens Acapella Chorus, the US Air Force Academy Band.
Our ceremony will begin promptly at 15:00.
Once again a reminder the rest rooms are located
to the north side of the hanger, we also have water provided
at the back side of the hanger by 22nd Med Group.
Out back of the hanger we also have
four food trucks available if you choose.
Smokin' Diner, the Funky Monkey, Noble House,
and BS Sandwich Express.
- [Male On Radio] McConnell tower, medusa zero two
space gears south one nine right.
- [Male On Radio] Medusa zero two, heavy rudder
around runway one nine right with 240 at 1522.
- [Male On Radio] Copy the wind on one nine right.
62 to zero two, cleared to land.
♪ Let eagles fly the mountain high ♪
♪ There never really was word of our nation ♪
♪ Now behold this jail ♪
♪ Of all the wonder of the western sky ♪
♪ The emblem of the brave and true ♪
♪ The flag of our liberty, flag of our liberty ♪
♪ Red, white and starry blue ♪
♪ Stream out and be so high ♪
♪ Every heart will see a part ♪
♪ As all across the land we raise our voices ♪
♪ Far and near for all to hear ♪
♪ The echo of a chorus grand ♪
♪ Every heart will swell with pride ♪
♪ To sing over liberty, sing over liberty ♪
(singing drowned out by plane engine roaring)
- Good afternoon team McConnell.
(audience cheers and applauds)
Civilian friends and guests, welcome to McConnell
Air Force Base.
I am Master Sergeant Matt Walters
of the 22nd Maintenance Group.
And I am a proud 20 year maintainer of our legacy
tanker the Boeing KC135R, pull the chocks.
(audience cheers)
Today we are gathered to celebrate
the arrival of the air force's newest
air refueling tanker, the Boeing KC46 Pegasus.
(audience applauds)
Today marks the culmination of a process
that began right here in Wichita several years ago.
Together Boeing, the community, United States Air Force
have labored intensively to bring America
the very best in aerorefuelling technology and capability.
(audience applauds)
The 22nd and 931st Air Refueling Wings
are extremely honored to be the first to receive
this amazing aircraft.
Additionally the men and women of team McConnell
are grateful to have you here today to celebrate
this momentous occasion.
At this time please direct your attention
to our video boards.
(drum music)
(inspirational music)
- [Narrator] In the Air Force if it leaves the ground
we fly it, from satellites to fighter jets.
But some of us fly the heavies, airplanes so big
you can fit other aircraft inside them.
If something needs to get there fast
we're the ones they call, no matter where there is.
All we need is a flat stretch of dirt,
or a sheet of ice to get in and get out.
You see, mobilities roots run deep,
and when you've been doing something for as long
as we have you get pretty good at it.
It was September 7th 1918 when we first
transported a group of soldiers from Chanute air field
to Champagne, Illinois, and we haven't stopped since.
We've paid the ultimate sacrifice to save
a battalion of soldiers lost behind enemy lines
during World War I.
We flew over the hump more times then we can count,
and over the beaches of Normandy as many times as it took.
When the Russian's tried to wall of Berlin
from the rest of the world we air dropped hope
in the form of food and medical supplies
for more then a year.
That's why we do this job, give us an impossible mission
and we'll find a way to get it done.
When our fighters need to travel half way around the world
our tankers serve as gas stations in the sky.
We can turn a C17 into a mobile hospital
at a moments notice when a life depends on it,
and it always does.
Sure the hours are long,
and we're away from our families more then we'd like,
but if that's what it takes to get another service member
home to their family then sign us up.
There's not a corner of this globe that is out of our reach
or any passenger we're not prepared to carry there.
We show up to work every day, ready to move the right stuff
to the right place at the right time.
Some days that means delivering food
and other life saving supplies to hurricane victims,
other days it means bringing home our nations
most treasured cargo which we do with honor and dignity.
When our tails land in a different country
that has experienced tragedy they know help has arrived.
We will transport the most powerful weapons known to man,
and take the fight to the enemy when we need too.
We serve our brothers and sisters in arms,
and know they've come to rely on us.
We take pride in that, we're Air Mobility Command,
all we need is a plane, and we'll move anything you got
anywhere you need it.
Aim high airmen.
(audience cheers and applauds)
- Wichita, Boeing, Team McConnell,
there's a new kid in town, and her name is Pegasus.
(audience cheers and applauds)
I don't think the folks outside that gate
could hear you, aim high airmen.
We are AR.
(audience cheers and applauds)
Ladies and gentlemen please rise for the arrival
of our official party, singing of the national anthem,
and today's invocation.
("Stars and Stripes Forever" by John Sousa)
- Colors.
Halt.
- Team McConnell Honor Guard, present the colors.
- Present Arms.
♪ Oh say can you see ♪
♪ By the dawns early light ♪
♪ What so proudly we hail ♪
♪ At the twilight's last gleaming ♪
♪ Who's broad stripes and bright stars ♪
♪ Through the perilous fight ♪
♪ O'er the ramparts we watched ♪
♪ Were so gallantly streaming ♪
♪ And the rocket's red glare ♪
♪ The bombs bursting in air ♪
♪ Gave proof through the night ♪
♪ That our flag was still there ♪
♪ Oh say does that star-spangled ♪
♪ Banner yet wave ♪
♪ O'er the land of the free ♪
♪ Land of the free ♪
♪ And the home of the brave ♪
- Will you pray with me?
Father God, creator of the heavens and the Earth.
Father we are thankful for the blessings
that you bestow upon us, and we bless you
and proclaim your greatness in all your works.
We are thankful for the opportunity to gather together
as one air force family.
Lord we have waited patiently for the arrival
of the KC46, and now it's here, and we are ready.
Lord we thank you for the men and women
who have worked tirelessly to bring it here,
from the workers at Boeing to our government representatives
and our community partners in Wichita Kansas.
From those in leadership to the worlds greatest air force
and the airmen here at McConnell Air Force Base,
we ask that you bless this monumental occasion.
Let us be glad and rejoice in this moment,
it's in your name that we pray.
Amen.
- Thank you to the team McConnell Honor Guard,
Wichita's own Men's Acapella Chorus,
and the Air Force Academy Band and Chaplain Wilde
for the wonderful invocation.
You may be seated.
(audience applauds)
Today it is my distinct honor to introduce to you
the official party for today's ceremony.
The governor of our great state of Kansas,
the Honorable Laura Kelley.
(audience applauds)
The secretary of the air force
the Honorable Heather Wilson.
(audience applauds)
The Chief of Staff of the Air Force,
General David Goldfein.
(audience applauds)
The Commander, Air Mobility Command, General Marianne Miller
(audience applauds)
The Commander, 22nd Air Refueling wing Colonel John Olson.
(audience applauds)
The Commander, 931st Air Refueling Wing
Colonel Phil Hesseltine.
(audience applauds)
United States Senator, the Honorable Pat Roberts.
(audience applauds)
United States Senator, the Honorable Jerry Moran.
(audience applauds)
United States Congressman, the Honorable Ron Estes.
(audience applauds)
The President and Chief Executive Officer
of Boeing Defense, Space and Security, Miss Leanna Coret.
(audience applauds)
we'd also like to welcome all of our other commanders,
command chiefs, mayors, Golden Eagles,
honorary commanders, friends of McConnell,
and the men and women of Team McConnell, we are.
- [All] We are!
(audience cheers and applauds)
At this time please help me welcome
to the stage the commander, 931st Air Refueling Wing,
Colonel Phil Hesseltine.
(audience cheers and applauds)
(upbeat band music)
- Wow, what can you say to that, that is pretty amazing.
What an amazing day, anybody fired up?
(audience cheers)
yeah I'm pretty fired up too,
I wish you could see what you look like
and you can if you look at the big screens out here,
just how amazing that you look today.
Thank you Team McConnell for joining us
on this extraordinary day.
To everyone who calls Kansas home this day is all about,
and entirely for you, and your families.
It is my privilege and deep personal honor
to kick off likely the biggest event of our air force,
and air force reserve command as hosted in five years
since the F35 and the biggest event AMC has seen
in nearly 25 years with the roll out of the C17.
(audience applauds)
While I am privileged to speak on behalf
of hundreds of proud Kansa Warriors,
I am also honored today to represent you entire
air reserve component, and the more then 70,000
air force reserve citizen airmen,
as well as our partners of the storied
Kansas Air National Guard.
(audience cheers and applauds)
Thank you to the thousands of citizen airmen,
families, friends, and civilians who every day
balance work, family and your civilian careers
to be a part of our great air force,
we could not do any of this without you.
Thank you for continuing to wear the cloth of our nation.
Every time you put this uniform on
you reaffirm your oath to support and to defend
the principles which make our country great.
Today is the capstone of an amazing journey,
a journey spanning decades and the culmination
of exhaustive preparation by not only
the myriad airmen from across air mobility command,
Air Force Reserve Command and our National Guard.
A long journey as well via our commercial partners
at Spirit and Boeing, and so many others, and it shows.
What an amazing two weeks for all of you.
You may have heard that AMC nominated Team McConnell
for the 2019 General Mark A Welsh One Air Force Award,
which means that across AMC McConnell airmen
clearly are the best at delivering total force
integrated solutions, this is huge.
(audience cheers and applauds)
And it is from this that we will go forward.
As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote,
"Do not go where the path may lead,
"go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
Governor Kelly, Senator Roberts, Senator Moran,
Congressman Estes, Secretary Wilson, General Goldfein,
General McMurray, General Ogden, Chief Green,
and Chief White, my pledge to you is
the 931st Kansa Warriors will continue
to build upon our culture of empowered, reserve
citizen airmen ready at a moments notice
to execute tomorrow's fight.
Today demonstrates the best of what
empowered airmen can achieve.
Airmen not limited by outdated solutions
to yesterdays problems, as we forge ahead to engage
in arenas and environments more complex and volatile
then any we have ever experienced.
McConnell lives, breaths and thrives on competition,
and if we weren't busy enough just last week
we demonstrated on a DOD stage why McConnell
was one of only two bases from 183 worldwide
competing for the Commander in Chief's Installation
Excellence Award, and Deuces, Jayhawks and Kansa's
you killed it.
(audience cheers and applauds)
I don't know if I have ever seen a bomber
and a fighter wing commander both on the same stage
say no one kicks ass without tank or gas, who-a.
(audience cheers and applauds)
The KC46's role in our national security strategy
is enormous, through state of the art passenger movement
and aero-medical evacuation systems
we will save future lives of our soldiers,
sailors, airmen, marine and some cases their families
all across the globe.
And through cargo and aerial refueling capabilities
yet to be discovered we, the integrated and collective power
of the 931st, the 22nd and 184th together,
will forge a new tanker standard.
In a few moments these doors will open,
what you will see is the best of what TFI
brings to our nations fight.
12 reserve citizen airmen helped catch these aircraft,
that's in addition to the two reserve citizen airmen,
aircrew members who flew them here today.
But I defy you to tell me who they are,
because today like every day whether in peace or in war,
our customers, our receivers, and more importantly
this great aircraft doesn't know the difference.
As you drove onto McConnell you likely passed
553118, the Spirit of Renton,
the first KC135 the air force ever received.
It is truly fitting that the first KC46
would join the very first KC135 right here.
A jet that would set forth time to climb
and distance records that are yet to be broken.
A jet that has brought more distressed airmen
out of harms way then any other in history,
and a jet that has landed me back in the hands
of my family many more times then I can count.
It's that spirit of 553118, that Spirit of Renton,
that resides in every KC135 ever built,
and every air crew that flies out of McConnell
to points across the globe, and it's that same
Spirit of Renton, that for over 60 years
has defined who were are, and what we do.
When McConnell was selected as MOB1
it wasn't the base infrastructure, clear skies
or duel runways, or the incredible talent
of our airmen that brought this aircraft here,
it was the passion and generosity of our communities.
A spirit of Wichita that sets up apart,
and why the Abilene and Tampa Bay trophies
both call Wichita home.
To our Golden Eagles, friends of McConnell,
Honorary Commanders and our neighbors
from the surrounding communities you continuously
humble us with your support.
I am thrilled to celebrate with you today,
this accomplishment is as much yours as it is ours.
Thanks Pat Gallagher and Jack Pulley
and all the Golden Eagles, Mayor Longwell,
my honorary commander, Mayor White, my friend,
my neighbor, Bruce Armstrong from Hayesville,
Ben Lawrence of Andover, John Johnson of East Borough.
Thanks to all of our honorary commanders,
and now to all the great American's in Everett,
Renton and Wichita who built this magnificent aircraft.
Many of who signed that banner in the back of the room
and I hope you take a look to look at it.
To all of you, thank you all.
Many may not know that the forward fuselage
section of the KC46s are built by Spirit AeroSystems
right here across the runway, which means
the aircraft you will see in a few moments
has literally come home.
Thank you team spirit.
Special thanks to Boeing and Miss Leanne Coret,
a fellow Derbyite, for all you have done.
How special this must be for you to bring
this great aircraft home.
To Naomi Anderson, Lisa Zonli, and your entire staff
for thousands of hours to make yesterdays roll out
and today's arrival such huge successes.
And finally, thanks to Jerry Lesar, Jerry where are yah?
Jerry?
Jerry stand up.
(audience applauds and cheers)
Jerry, you and your team didn't just become
part of team McConnell, you and your team
became part of our family.
Thank you.
(audience applauds)
Today is an important moment for the
air capital of the world because we're honoring
the rich culture that we have been gifted
by those crazy oil men and aviation dreamers
who came before us, that culture, that spirit of Wichita
that continues today.
May God bless all who will slip the surly bonds of Earth
in this great aircraft, may God bless the assembly,
manufacture, maintenance personnel
who enabled them to do so, and May God always
continue to bless to United States of America.
Thank you very much.
(audience cheers and applauds)
- And Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage
from the Kansas 4th congressional district
the Honorable Ron Estes.
(audience cheers and applauds)
(upbeat band music)
- Wow what a tremendous view,
it's wonderful to be here, to spend time
to recognize what out community does
and how we live here.
We've always supported the air force,
we've always supported McConnell and I'm truly honored
to be here for this tremendous afternoon,
this tremendous day here at McConnell Air Force Base
to recognize what we know about the base,
about our community and really it's a tremendous day
for our country.
Today's brave men and women who are here
receiving the first KC46 Pegasus, refueling tankers.
You know we all talk about it as a refueling tanker,
but after flying in this morning
it's really much more then that.
Not only does it have the tanker facilities
but it's also a great cargo machine,
it's also a great humanitarian piece of equipment
and it's also useful and very beneficial,
and will be for personnel and medical evacuations.
It was amazing seeing the set up
and the configuration in the plane
as we traveled in today, and I think you all
will be impressed as I was when you see that.
As representative of the air capital of the world
I can think of no better place then for the air force
to start this next chapter.
The KC46A that has been received today, to help replace
the KC135 tankers that were first delivered
in 1957 during the administration of President Eisenhower.
Just think of all the changes that have occurred
in our country and around the world since that time.
Clearly this is a major milestone,
and it was important that it happened
but it didn't happen overnight.
I'd like to thank so many people here,
and around the country who've put so much effort
into making this happen.
There's really too many people to mention
but I do want to make a comment about a couple.
Particularly want to thank our Senators
who'll both speak, Senator Roberts and Senator Moran
for the work that they've done,
and also I want to thank one of my predecessors,
the former Congressman Todd Teehart
who made tireless efforts when he was in office
to help make sure that this event became a reality.
In fact Todd put so much effort into helping
the military develop this new tanker
that he got the nickname Tanker Todd.
Todd thank you for all your work in sorting this.
(audience applauds)
It's amazing that we as a country can develop
this type of equipment that actually fulfills
all of these great missions, that allows us
to be the greatest country on Earth.
And while military missions are anything but normal
and uniform, this aircraft really is a one size fits all
that will help address so many numerous situations
that may arise in the skies and in the combat zones.
Our community's ready for this plane,
as mentioned earlier by Colonel Hesseltine
our surrounding community has always been
a major supporter of the air force
and the events here at McConnell.
McConnell's ready, the facilities are here,
the airmen and women are ready
to accomplish with this plane.
The air force and our countries ready for this.
As a son of a veteran and a member of congress
I take this commitment seriously.
That there's a lot of work to be done
and we've got to be continue to make effort
as our elected leadership to support our military
and to support our veterans.
We've accomplished a lot over the last couple of years,
helping make sure that we had adequate funding
for these military operations.
Making sure that we can continue the program
for the KC46, make sure that we had appropriate funding
levels for that, but also making sure that we had
other funding levels as well.
Supporting troops pay, the biggest pay raise in nine years,
making sure that became a reality.
Making sure we supported other programs
that were being conducted throughout our community,
whether they're by a tier one supplier
or whether they're by so many of the other
aviation companies throughout our community.
We want to continue that major support
to make sure that we as a community continue to support
our nations military and our defense of our country.
Today I'm confident that we'll continue to build
on this progress, starting right here at McConnell
Air Force Base, and after being a passenger
on the KC46 today, as we made this journey
from Seattle to Wichita, I'm also confident
in the incredible abilities of this aircraft.
And with the airmen and women here at McConnell
the KC46 is in strong and capable hands
that will make our community and our country proud.
Thank you.
(audience applauds and cheers)
- Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
United States Senator Mr Jerry Moran.
(audience applauds)
(upbeat band music)
- Ladies and gentlemen, what a fabulous day
in Wichita Kansas, congratulations to this community,
to Derby and our surrounding communities,
and to the leadership of this community and state,
which makes today possible.
I welcome Secretary Heather Wilson to Wichita,
this is her first visit as Secretary
to McConnell Air Force Base, and what a occasion it is
for us to have the honor of her presence with us today.
And I want to also welcome General Goldfein
and thank him and Heather for their continued leadership
in so many aspects of defending our nation
but particularly for their commitment
to see that the KC46A was delivered
at McConnell Air Force Base and arrived today.
This is an opportunity to thank many people
as the Congressman said, but first and foremost
who I want to express my gratitude is
to the airmen and women who work here at McConnell
Air Force Base, and what they do each and every day
to protect the freedoms and liberties of our nation.
I'm always inspired, I stepped away,
Senator Robinson, I stepped away from Washington DC
to get here today not knowing exactly
what our schedule would be, with significant needs
of our country in front of us and the desire to see
that our government function in a way
that our workforce is paid and that good government
occurs on a day to day basis.
But it was so important to recognize
the accomplishments that occurred,
we both insisted that we get here today.
And what I will take back as we return
to our nations capital is a reminder to my colleagues.
Men and women of the United States Senate
and the House of Representatives,
and the President, we have a lot to learn
from the men and women who serve our nation
in the Air Force at McConnell Air Force Base
and around the globe.
Not one of you made a decision to serve your country
for purposes of Republicans or Democrats,
not one of you had a ulterior motive for your service,
a financial gain, each and every one of you here today
decided that there was a calling to make certain
that your family at home was safer,
that freedom was protected in the United States,
that we had a brighter future, and that liberty
was an option for those who live outside our country.
So I return to Washington DC to remind my colleagues
and I remind myself today that the inspiration
that occurs when I'm surrounded by those who serve
in our military and remind myself that we need
the same motivation that gets you up every day
and go to work to protect our country.
It's an honor to be here with the two
Colonel's, Colonel Hasseltine and Colonel Olson
the 22nd and 931st are known across our country
for their capabilities, and the necessity
of the mission that they fulfill each and every day.
It's a great pleasure to be back at McConnell
and to see the work that's transpired
since the last visit.
And of course we thank our partners,
and we thank our own air capital of the world spirit,
AeroSystem Corporation, but Boeing as well
and the people who work there to make certain
that this plane is all that it needs to be.
Wichita is abuzz with excitement Madame Secretary,
this is a day that we have looked for, longed for,
and encouraged you to make happen on numerous occasions.
The friends of McConnell, our civic leaders,
the mayors, Wichita is the air capital of the world
and our goal is to make certain that it remains that
and today is a significant component
of the air capital of the world's future.
There is no one more excited about this arrival
then those who will fly, service and train on,
protect our world in this tanker.
We thank you for your service,
and we are grateful that we're here to share
this occasion with you.
Thank you for the inspiration of this moment,
God bless those who serve our nation,
and God encourage all of us to do right.
Thank you for the opportunity.
(audience applauds)
- Please welcome to the podium,
United States Senator the Honorable Pat Roberts.
(upbeat band music)
- I want you folks in the audience, you airmen to know
that they got the camera on a lot of you
when you're laughing, what the hell's so damn funny.
(audience laughs)
Should be smiling.
I'd like to thank all those in attendance today
for the opportunity to say a few words.
That's an oxymoron for a senator but it's a great honor
in the US Senate for all of those in the Kansas delegation
for our governor as well, to support and in many cases
fight for the many men and women who are here today.
The proud, all those of the McConnell Air Force Base team,
and the same is true in the house for colleague
Ron Estes, Ron thank you for coming in.
That's an awesome experience, I'm thinking back
on 18 years, as a matter of fact the invocation
was a very nice invocation, and in those remarks
it was said that we were waiting patiently.
I know quite a few of us that were damn well
waiting impatiently.
But the good, if not great news is that
that long awaited KC46 will now be in the capable hands
of the men and women of the 22nd and the 931st
Aerial Refueling wings as Jerry has pointed out.
I know you've been training and preparing
to receive the first of the fleet,
I have no doubt you're ready to fuel the fight.
On a personal note,
(audience cheers)
on a personal note since 2001 18 long years ago,
as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee
and a Chairman of the sub committee on emerging threats
I have been fighting for you, and to replace
the Air Forces aging Eisenhower era KC135 tanker fleet
with an American made plane.
(audience cheers)
Back in 2001 we learned the hard way
that the oceans no longer protected us
as the air force began to assess it's fleet
to meet the asymmetric threats of global terrorism.
We learned that every five years
the KC135's spent 400 days in depot,
which meant that one fourth of the fleet was
getting maintenance at any given time.
We all know that the tanker is indispensable
to mission success, so then Senator Sam Brownback,
and 4th District Congressman Todd Teehart,
where are you Todd, you're down, right there,
teamed up to make the case for a new tanker now,
at that time, now.
Todd, I still have some of your blood on the ceiling
of our conference room from when we were working
with the air force trying to get a new bid
and then we won the bid, and then it snowed on I70
and I was up there, and a radio station
got in touch with me and they said,
McConnell won, we won, Boeing won, so on and so forth.
I said well it's snowing on I70
but the sun is shining in Wichita.
Jerry and I did the same thing, we came in
and we just came through a blizzard
about 60 miles ago, well blizzard, it was sort of a blizzard
and not a real blizzard, but what do you know,
you get to Wichita and the sun starts shining,
and what a great day this is right now.
During this lengthy procurement process
the men and women at McConnell in Wichita
showed why you are the best of the best.
You are the unsung heroes that keep the KC135 tankers
in the air, you at every road block
you never deterred, you are finding innovative ways
to ensure the tanker's are in fighting shape.
Ladies and gentlemen, we thank you, thank you.
(audience cheers and applauds)
So while we celebrate your skill, determination and grit
we turn the page now and welcome the new Pegasus KC46
to the fight, and what a beauty she is.
It is exciting, and no surprise to all of us
that Kansas will be leading the way
with the next generation aerial refueling aircraft,
will upgrade the air forces fleet,
expand operation capabilities and enhance flexibility
for our airmen.
In 18 years we had to overcome a lot,
we never gave up, we persevered, and by damn
we got the job done.
This new mission means our airmen at McConnell
will continue to play a vital role in national defense,
will continue to enrich Wichita,
and the rest of our state.
I am proud of the work we have done,
and I look forward to seeing the great things
that lie ahead, thank you so very much.
(audience applauds and cheers)
- Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage,
all the way from Derby Kansas,
the President and Chief Executive officer
of Boeing Defense, Space and Security, Miss Leanne Caret.
(upbeat band music)
- Thank y'all, it is wonderful to be home in Wichita today.
Secretary, Chief, Governor, it's just such an honor
and I would expect nothing less then this great crowd
here to see this great arrival.
A few weeks ago as the plans for today's ceremony
began to come together I sent a message
to all of our Boeing team mates, around 150,000 folks
to share the exciting news that the KC46 would soon
be in the hands of our US Air Force customer.
I knew the team would be thrilled
but I was actually not prepared for the amount
of responses I received.
I'd like to share a few of them with you today
because there's no better way to convey
what it means for us at Boeing and our supplier partners
to deliver this aircraft then through the words
of those who built her.
A fabrication specialist wrote,
"The feeling of seeing another bird leave the nest
"creates a sense of pride and makes me proud
"to be part of the Boeing family."
A propulsion engineer wrote, "It gives me great
"personal joy to know we, and the 767 engine
"controls group did an excellent job
"for the United States Air Force
"and the United States of America."
and a delivery operations manager wrote,
"Please make sure the Air Force pilots
"flying my baby know how to take great care of her."
Of that there is no doubt.
We know that the Air Force pilots and maintainers,
starting right here with the airmen and airwomen
of McConnell Air Force Base are gonna
take great care of her.
I understand the sentiment of that manager,
many of our colleagues and team mates have spent
long periods of their career working on this program.
Putting in tireless hours to prepare for exactly
this moment, letting go is very bitter sweet.
Now, this incredible aircraft is yours,
it will be your turn to spend time with her,
to learn her capabilities, and fly her heart out.
We built this aircraft to help you fuel the fight,
and we consider it an honor and a privilege
to provide you with the KC46 to aid you
in this most sacred mission.
While the KC46 may have been built in Seattle
and it will fly all over the world
it's home will forever be here in Wichita.
I grew up in Derby, I started my career
on the other side of the runway,
and I grew up knowing you don't need a uniform
to feel connected to McConnell, to the air Force,
or to the brave men and women who are stationed here.
Here in the aviation capital of America
we are a community of supporters, boosters
and champions, my heart bursts with pride
to see this historic milestone in aerospace aviation
come to fruition here in Wichita.
You're all gonna see a lot of KC46's fly around
over head as we continue to roll them out of the factory,
and I hope whenever you catch site of one
you're reminded what a unique community this is,
and share in the feeling of pride knowing you were here
in the very beginning.
Earlier this afternoon thousands of people
around the world set aside time to watch
the historic delivery flight.
Now that we're wheels down in McConnell
I'd like to simply say, congratulations
and thank you for your incredible partnership.
Thank you.
(audience applauds)
(dramatic music)
(audience cheers and applauds)
- Team McConnell, please help me welcome to the stage
the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force,
General David Goldfein.
(upbeat band music)
- Well howdy McConnell.
(audience cheers)
I just leaned over to the secretary a couple
of minutes ago and I said, you know,
for two and half years now I've been privileged
to be the chief and when I walk on stage
I usually hear that same musical fanfare.
But I've actually never heard a band actually play it.
So let's give it up for the Air Force Academy band here.
(audience cheers and applauds)
Well as it's already been stated a healthy congratulations
to Team Pegasus, you know as the 21st Chief of Staff,
in the 21st century I have a very simple message
for General Miller and the Air Force,
and the industry team that made this possible.
Thank you.
I would not be standing here today
were it not for the courage and the tenacity
of Air Force tankers.
And I believe I speak for thousands of air crew
who've found themselves in really bad places,
low on gas, and out of options.
You know it was the war in Vietnam that became known
as the first tanker war.
And in 1964, we deployed our first four KC135's
to the Philippines, to support that effort
and they became known as the Yankee Team Task Force.
And as the war effort grew, so did the tanker force.
And it became routine for tankers to cross
into North Vietnam, despite the surface and air threat
to rendezvous with a thirsty flight of Phantoms
or Thuds or Jolly Greens and lead them home.
And the radio call, thanks, that's another save
became commonplace, and so for me this is personal.
Because I recall a mission during Operation Desert Storm
when Captain Goldfein was leading his flight
of eight F16s to a target deep into enemy territory.
And it turns out that night the Iraqis decided
to unleash hundreds of their surface to air missiles
and we had to jink and jive our way out of the target area.
Most of us had to jettison our external tanks,
and we were dangerously short on gas
as we worked our way back into friendly territory.
So I put out the call for help, and Texaco 22
came to the rescue.
By the way we've learned a little bit
about more creative call signs since then.
But without a moments hesitation
that tanker crew crossed deep into Iraqi airspace
and told us to hang on, help's on the way.
And we were all topped off, and we made it back
into friendly territory, I keyed the mic and said,
thanks, that's another save.
The courage displayed in Vietnam and Iraq
lives on in today's airmen, it's on display here today
in the 22nd, and the 931st Air Refueling Wings.
And mark my words history will rhyme again in the future,
so let me say thank you for all the US and coalition saves
in your future as you bring this KC46 Weapon System
to full operational capability.
We're a global power because of global reach,
our allies count on it and our adversaries know it.
So well done and congratulations team Pegasus,
fights on.
(audience applauds)
- Ladies and gentlemen, please help me give a warm welcome
to the Secretary of the Air Force,
the Honorable Heather Wilson.
(audience applauds)
(upbeat band music)
- Team McConnell what an absolutely wonderful day.
And I was just reminded again of how blessed we are
to have Dave Goldfein as the United States Air Force
Chief of Staff.
(audience cheers and applauds)
In 1911 a farm boy from just outside of Wichita
used his life savings to buy a fuselage from New York
and started adding engines and propellors.
His name was Clyde Cessna, he collaborated
with Walter Beech and Lloyd Stearmen from Boeing
to build airplanes in Wichita Kansas.
The relationships between aviation companies,
the city of Wichita and the United States Air Force
goes back nearly a century, and that relationship
continues today.
I wanted to personally thank the leaders of Wichita,
the Kansas delegation and particularly our two
Kansas Senators for your leadership
in bringing to the United States Air Force
this needed tanker, thank you for everything
you've done for us.
(audience applauds)
The air frames, they're either produced
or operated here in Wichita have projected American power
around the world, the B29 Super Fortress,
the B47 Stratojet, the B52 Stratofortress,
the F105 Fighter, the B1B Lancer, and the Titan 2 ICBM.
Where there are bombers and jets there are refuelers.
The KC135 has flown from the flint hills and wheat fields
of Kansas to every corner of the world in support
of American combat operations.
Today the KC46 Pegasus joins a proud history here
at McConnell Air Force Base, a new tanker
for a new century, for complex environments.
To refuel allied and coalition military aircraft,
to carry passengers and cargo, and patients
who need our care.
To project American power round the globe
whenever our nation calls.
To our airmen here at McConnell and to your families,
thank all of you for your service to the Air Force
and to this great nation.
The Chief and I, and everyone on this front row
know November kilo alpha whisky tango golf,
God bless you all, and God bless the nation that we love.
(audience cheers and applauds)
- At this time the Commanders of the 22nd and 931st
Air Refueling Wings would like to have the air crews
from today's historic flights present
the official party with keys to the very first
KC46 Pegasus aircraft.
(audience cheers and applauds)
Well Master Sergeant Gavin Kay from the 344th
Air Refueling Squadron, Master Sergeant Scott Perkins
from the 931st Air Craft Maintenance Squadron,
and Tech Sergeant Drew Lang from
the 22nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.
(audience cheers and applauds)
(audience applauds)
And ladies and gentlemen it is my distinct honor
to present to you the tip of the spear,
Team McConnell's leader, Colonel Josh Olson.
(audience cheers and applauds)
(upbeat band music)
- Awesome.
Hopefully everybody's ready to see an airplane.
(audience cheers)
Ladies and gentlemen welcome to a new dawn
of mobility air power, today we crack open
a new chapter for rapid global mobility,
and build on a legacy that knows no bounds.
Distinguished guests on behalf of team McConnell
thank you so much for sharing your busy schedules with us.
For many in this room today has been an exhausting journey
but good news is we're about to make it all better.
It's an absolute true honor for team McConnell
to host you today.
Aviation is in our blood here in Wichita,
on the shoulders of giant's we proudly stand
Cessna, Beech and Leer just to name a few.
Many you may not know, or haven't known
that you are actually here in the air capital,
you might have heard that once or twice today.
Since June 25th 1923 we have been perfecting
the art of refueling, whether it was two DH4s
passing fuel, not gas, through a hose,
or a 1250 mile journey from Canada to Mexico
the early concepts of air refueling have been
a cornerstone to aviation and to our military might.
Fast forward through many conflicts and military operations,
air refueling and our airmen have only gotten better.
In 1948, General Spatz actually made air refueling
his number one priority.
A year later a B50 Superfortress
successfully flew around the world
non stop for the first time.
A few years after that the first combat
air refueling occurred in the Korean war
between a converted B29 and a F84.
Since the 1970s Team McConnell has continued
to refine the application of combat air refueling
through our nuclear, special ops and conventional
mission sets we have and will continue
to employ the KC135 to all corners of the globe.
Last year alone we delivered 40 millions pounds of fuel,
that's enough fuel to fill up every Chevy in Derby Mayor.
But today we celebrate a new chapter of rapid
global mobility, an exciting chapter,
a chapter that will require innovation,
forward thinking and hard work.
A lot of what Cessna and Beech all had.
There's no better place to find that
then right here at McConnell
and in the air capital of the world.
He KC46 is the ultimate triad of rapid global mobility,
it's a new chapter that will deliver unprecedented
air lift, air medevac and air refueling,
and much much more.
It is a multi role refueling platform
that will greatly enhance not only the strength
of our MAF and CAF forces, but also across the continuum
of our global domains.
The machine however is only as good as it's operators.
Amongst you sit a real secret sauce,
the real game changing advantage of the KC46
is our airmen, smart, innovative hard working,
they will be our defining legacy.
Conflicts across the globe continue to become
ever so complicated, the KC46 will be
a critical enabler of the solution set that we deliver
to our nations desired effects at a moments notice.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my absolute incredible honor
to introduce you to the newest mobility flag ship,
welcome to the new age of air refueling, roll it.
(audience applauds)
(upbeat rock music)