New Tanker Trains on Off-Airport Runways 

Pilots from the 22nd Air Refueling Wing got a chance to try out the KC-46A Pegasus in tandem with the USAF's Airfield Marking Patterns (AMP)-3 system, practicing unconventional airfield operations.

The AMP-3 system is a collection of man-portable landing aids designed to mark off unconventional runways, allowing operation from unmarked runways, roadways, or interstates. The AMP-3 builds on versions 1 and 2 with day/night capability, allowing tactical airlifts to happen with less environmental constraints. 

“This type of training helps airfield management, and the pilots of the KC-46, to prepare for a near-peer fight with whoever that might be,” said Captain Adam Solomon, 22nd Operations Support Squadron airfield operations flight commander. “There may be a time when crews must land in unconventional areas, on unmarked runways, and this type of training ensures that our crew will be prepared for that type of scenario.”

The unit highlighted the assistance of their Phantom ALZ-15 landing zone lights, designed to provide illumination of the landing zone. Unlike vintage lighting, the ALZ-15s are night vision compatible, allowing for greatly enhanced resolution under NVGs with a lower profile than traditional lighting systems. 

“When the exercise is complete, McConnell will have become the first tanker base to utilize the AMP-3 system with the KC-46,” said Solomon. “The KC-46 enterprise will have made yet another significant leap in advancing its operational capabilities, further expanding the boundaries of what both the aircraft and crew can achieve.”

FMI: www.mcconnell.af.mil