Tanker Training at Selfridge

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  • 127th Wing Public Affairs
SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mich. --  Air crews from the 171st Air Refueling Squadron fly the KC-135 Stratotanker, an aerial refueler which is in high demand for a wide variety of missions.

The crew - generally two pilots and a boom operator - are able to carry more than 30,000 gallons of fuel onboard their aircraft. The aircraft can also be configured to carry personnel and cargo and for use as an aeromedical evacuation platform.

Aircrews from the 171st are part of the Michigan Air National Guard and their giant, gray-colored aircraft are based at Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

On a recent training mission, an aircrew from the 171st was tasked with providing in-flight refueling to a group of A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft, which are also flown by the Michigan Air National Guard at Selfridge.