McConnell Air Force Base

McConnell Air Force Base, located four miles southeast of Wichita, Kansas, is a United States Air Force installation. Established in 1929 as Wichita Municipal Airport, it began its military association in August 1941 with the activation of the Kansas National Guard 127th Observation Squadron. The base was a significant site for B-29 Superfortress production and transfer during World War II. In 1951, the USAF took full ownership of the airport, converting it into a permanent military installation. It was renamed McConnell Air Force Base in 1953 in honor of brothers Fred and Thomas McConnell, both Air Force pilots and World War II veterans.

Throughout the Cold War, McConnell AFB served various roles, including B-47 Stratojet training, hosting the 381st Strategic Missile Wing with Titan II ICBMs from 1962 to 1986, and supporting tactical fighter operations with F-100, F-105, and F-4 aircraft, many of which deployed to Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. In 1971, it transitioned to a strategic bomber/air refueling mission, becoming a hub for KC-135 Stratotankers and later B-1B bombers. A notable event occurred in April 1991 when an F5 tornado caused damage to the base.

Currently, McConnell Air Force Base is controlled by Air Mobility Command. Its primary mission is global air refueling and airlift. The base is home to the 22nd Air Refueling Wing (host unit), the Air Force Reserve Command's 931st Air Refueling Wing, and the Kansas Air National Guard's 184th Wing. The 22nd and 931st Air Refueling Wings operate KC-135R Stratotankers and are transitioning to the KC-46 Pegasus. The 184th Wing is a non-flying intelligence unit. The base features two main runways: 01L/19R, 3,657.6 meters (12,000 feet) of concrete, and 01R/19L, 3,659.7 meters (12,007 feet) of asphalt and concrete.