Air Force bases in Oklahoma await new fleet of KC-46 tankers

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (AP) – A new fleet of tankers is expected to give the U.S. Air Force a more efficient option for refueling planes midflight.

The Oklahoman (http://bit.ly/1Sn9tO4 ) reports that the KC-46 tanker plane, nicknamed the Pegasus, features a system that will allow it to refuel three smaller planes at once. The new plane is designed to replace the Air Force’s aging KC-135 Stratotankers.

Production setbacks have raised questions about when the fleet will be ready to fly. Wiring issues and problems with the plane’s refueling system have caused delays.

The plane is expected to have a major Oklahoma presence. Altus Air Force Base will serve as a training site for crews, and Tinker Air Force Base will provide maintenance. Tinker is being considered as a possible base for the planes.