WICHITA, KS – After a hard fought battle to replace the nation’s aging aerial refueling tanker fleet, U.S. Senator Pat Roberts was proud to address the groundbreaking ceremony for construction of the Main Operating Base for the next generation tanker, the KC-46A Pegasus, at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kansas.

Senator Roberts fought to secure a new tanker to replace the aging KC-135. At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in 2003, Roberts held up a piece of the corroded belly of the Eisenhower era tanker and said, “I don't want the warfighter fighting in this plane.”

After many battles over the procurement of the tanker and through a Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round, Senator Roberts successfully fought to establish McConnell as the premier aerial refueling base in the nation saying, “Without the tanker, the war stops.”

The following are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

“Earlier this year,” Roberts said, “I had the pleasure of celebrating with many of you the 20th Anniversary of Fueling Freedom here at McConnell.

 “Today, we take that legacy into the future.

“When our Airmen are given a mission, they do it with everything they have – And they do it well.

“Airmen, you make this nation proud, this state proud, and most important, you make this community proud to call themselves Friends of McConnell.

“In the Senate, -- top priority -- to ensure McConnell not only receives the recognition it deserves, but that we secure McConnell’s future and role within our Air Force.

“By naming McConnell the first active duty base to receive the new tanker, all of our work to secure McConnell’s vital role to mission success has been realized.

“As a Marine, I know that one man alone cannot create success.

“It takes a team…and that team sits here today. 

“A heartfelt and deep thank you to every airman. I am deeply humbled by your service, your sacrifices and commitment on behalf of our country.

“Thank you to the families who give our airmen the vital support and morale they need in keeping our nation safe.

“Thank you to the Golden Eagles, the Friends of McConnell, and to everyone in and around Wichita and Derby who have helped to make McConnell an installation of excellence within the Air Mobility Command and our United States Air Force. 

“McConnell’s legacy in Kansas is now secure, and an institution that we are all very proud to support.

“And I want to thank all of you for giving me the opportunity to be a strong voice and play a part in the Senate for this effort. 

“But it has been the successes of the 22^nd Air Refueling Wing and the 931^st Air Refueling Group that have made McConnell the premier SUPER tanker base in the nation.

“Together we fought long and hard to ensure that our Eisenhower-era long serving tankers were replaced.

“And I don’t have to tell you, this was no easy task.

“During my service on the Senate Armed Services Committee, I literally besieged my colleagues to listen to the Air Force’s request for a replacement of the aging, Eisenhower-era tanker.

“It was simply a matter of common sense and our national security.

“In 2003…I walked into an Armed Services hearing …with a rusty piece of the tanker’s wing in my hand. Yes, I actually had a piece of the plane.

“I thought it was pretty hard to argue against that evidence.

“A lot was at stake. If we didn’t replace the tanker in the near future, we not only put mission success at risk, but the lives of our airmen at great risk.

“It has taken 11 years! All the twists and turns– you know them well.

“But together, in partnership, we persevered.

“We never let the setbacks and the challenges stop us.

“All of us who had been there from the start felt triumphant to hear the new tanker announcement in 2011. 

“It was the right decision for our country and our national security.

“Our delegation worked hard to ensure McConnell remain the premier Air Refueling base in the Air Force.

“What better place for these new birds than the Aviation Capital of the World!

“Thank you again for coming today and for allowing us to celebrate this fantastic new chapter for McConnell and Kansas and our country.”

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