PEASE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.H. – The Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center, or AATC, established its first-ever KC-46A Combined Test Force during a ribbon-cutting Sept. 5.
The milestone establishes the New Hampshire Air National Guard’s 157th Air Refueling Wing and AATC as key players in testing and fielding advanced capabilities for the KC-46, which will benefit the overall joint force.
Gathered beneath the wings of the Spirit of Portsmouth for the event were New Hampshire National Guard leaders and Airmen, as well as a delegation from the AATC. Following brief remarks from Col. Nelson Perron, 157th Air Refueling Wing commander, and Col. Daniel Wittmer, AATC commander, the dignitaries cut the ribbon, marking the symbolic start to the partnership.
AATC, based in Tucson, Arizona, is tasked with addressing the critical challenge of rapidly adapting existing Air Reserve Component platforms to meet evolving threats. Instead of waiting years for traditional acquisition processes, AATC uses streamlined testing and innovative partnerships to quickly integrate new technologies. This agile approach ensures that the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve remain equipped with the most effective tools to counter near-peer adversaries.
The KC-46A Combined Test Force, or CTF, is a geographically separated unit of AATC, hosted by the 157th Air Refueling Wing and staffed by the men and women who fly and maintain the jet locally. As part of their modernization efforts, the CTF will explore the capability gaps on the KC-46 to develop, iteratively test and make fielding recommendations for potential solutions.
The mission of AATC is to rapidly field new combat capabilities to meet emerging threats and maintain a strategic advantage over the nation’s adversaries. Partnering with established wings provides the test center with a direct connection to the platforms and experienced operators.
"This new CTF, alongside the exceptional capabilities of the 157th Air Refueling Wing and its 12 aircraft, provides a critical test bed for accelerating innovation and ensuring the KC-46A doesn't just fulfill its original design, it delivers every capability it can possibly provide,” Wittmer said. “We're not just maintaining legacy systems, we're unlocking their full potential to meet the emerging threats of the future battlespace."
Maj. Ryan Morrison, KC-46A CTF director and a pilot at the 157th Air Refueling Wing, said the wing was already working on cutting-edge uses of the platform, and the new partnership will provide the funding and resources to continue modernization efforts and make the KC-46 the linchpin in the Indo-Pacific theater.
“Employment of our organic beyond line of sight (BLOS) secure chat capabilities during recent deployments caught the attention of the broader community,” Morrison said. “Establishing the CTF was the next logical progression to continue innovating and enabling the KC-46 to help project airpower over vast distances.”
Morrison explained that the symbiotic relationship will allow the Airmen at Pease to continue exploring the realm of what’s possible with the KC-46A, probing gaps such as BLOS and data passage capabilities, and bringing resources that will allow the unit to tackle larger projects and make bigger impacts at a higher level.
In his remarks during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Perron said the new partnership reaffirmed the wing’s unwavering commitment to its Airmen, the KC-46 and the future of aerial refueling.
“This CTF will merge our Airmen’s expertise, their experience and their unique perspectives to create a truly integrated testing environment,” he said. “This partnership with AATC is essential to ensuring that the KC-46 is fully ready to support our warfighters around the globe.”