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McConnell refueling group to gain wing status

  • Published
  • 931st Air Refueling Group Public Affairs Office
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  The Air Force will redesignate the 931st Air Refueling Group as a wing in an official ceremony in early 2016.

The newly designated 931st Air Refueling Wing will grow by nearly 400 personnel to meet the needs of the wing.

The wing designation will also establish the 931st Operations Group, the 931st Maintenance Group, and the 931st Force Support Squadron, and stand up the 905th and 924th Refueling Squadrons.

"This has been a long time coming," said Col. Mark S. Larson, 931st ARG commander.  "It is the result of sustained excellent performance from numerous Citizen Airmen over the past 20 years; the steadfast resolve of our elected officials and the unparalleled support of our local community leaders. As we make this historic transition, I have complete confidence in the ability of the men and women of the 931 ARG to make this new wing one of the premier units in United States Air Force."

The 931st ARW will be the first associate Reserve unit to fly and maintain the new KC-46A Pegasus tanker. The KC-46A is intended to replace the U.S. Air Force's aging fleet of KC-135 Stratotankers which have been the primary refueling aircraft for more than 50 years. The KC-46A will provide more refueling capability an increased capacity for cargo as well as aeromedical evacuation. The KC-46A will provide aerial refueling to Air Force, Navy, Marine and allied nation aircraft.

The 931st ARG flew more than 1,200 local and off-station sorties and logged 5,524 flight hours in FY 2015, exceeding the command's annual flying hour program goal for the third consecutive year.

For more information on the wing designation, or the 931st Air Refueling Group, please contact the 931st ARG Public Affairs office at (316) 759-3704, or (316) 617-0550