RETIREMENT OF OUTDATED FORBES TANKERS WILL SAVE TAXPAYERS MILLIONS
Boyda, Bunting hold news conference on legislation to retire obsolete aircraft; planes have been replaced with newere model

TOPEKA, KS - Congresswoman Nancy Boyda (Kansas Second District) and Kansas Adjutant General Tod Bunting held a press conference at Forbes Field this morning to announce the pending retirement of 12 obsolete KC-135E aircraft.

The aircraft, which were manufactured in the 1950s and last overhauled in the 1980s, have exhausted their functional lifespan. No pilot at Forbes Field is certified to fly them, and the Air Force expects to stop issuing piloting credentials for the planes later this year.

The KC-135E tankers have since been replaced with the newer model 135R tankers. Even though the older planes no longer serve any national security purpose, the 190th Air Refueling Wing has been required by law to maintain the planes at a "warm-ready" state, which requires frequent, expensive maintenance. The estimated cost to taxpayers is $1.1 million per year.

In late 2007, Congresswoman Boyda requested the insertion of a provision into the annual National Defense Authorization Act to allow Forbes Field to retire the KC-135Es. Boyda's provision was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush late last year.

"At a time when our military readiness is stretched so thin, it makes no sense to spend millions of dollars keeping obsolete planes on life support," Congresswoman Boyda said. "Commanders should have the flexibility to spend every available dollar to improve our military readiness and keep America safe."

"Due to this change in legislation, these tankers are now being retired which allows us to maximize the capabilities and space that we have here at the 190th Air Refueling Wing," said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting. "We currently have 10 KC 135E tankers on the ramp; however, four of those will be retired between April 3 and June 3."

Two tankers have already been retired this year. Upon being retired, the tankers go to Davis-Monthan Air Base in Arizona to Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group.

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