Changing times: Selfridge, Beale making switch to R-model tankers.

As part of an overall Air Force plan to modernize its fleet of KC-135 tanker aircraft, two Air Force Reserve units are getting rid of their older planes for newer models.

The 927th Air Refueling Wing at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., and 940th ARW, Beale Air Force Base, Calif., are converting from KC-135E model Stratotankers to KC-135R models. When completed, these conversions will bring the 927th and 940th up to par with all of the other Air Force Reserve Command KC-135 units, which are currently flying the newer R models.

"Converting to R models is part of the desired end state of having a stable KC-135 tanker fleet within the Reserve Command," said Lt. Col. John Rocchio, chief of tanker plans in the Directorate of Plans and Programs, Headquarters AFRC, Robins AFB, Ga. "By the end of fiscal year 2005, the command will be operating aircraft with a greater range, more cost efficiency and better overall performance."

AFRC's newest tanker units--the 459th ARW at Andrews AFB, Md., and 939th ARW in Portland, Ore.--both received the newer R models when they converted from their previous missions. The 459th is a former airlift wing, while the 939th was a combat search and rescue wing.

Colonel Rocchio said the plan to replace the eight E models at both Beale and Selfridge has been in the works for more than a year. The official announcement was made in July. The Air Force intends to retire a significant number of E models, all belonging to the air reserve components.

The KC-135, first built during the Eisenhower administration, constitutes 90 percent of the Air Force's combat refueling capability. Stratotankers on duty today have the oldest average fleet age of any Air Force combat aircraft. The R models Beale and Selfridge are receiving have about 10 years less service than the E models they are replacing.

At Selfridge, plans call for the first three aircraft to begin arriving this spring. The conversion is expected to be completed by the end of September. The conversion won't be complete at Beale until fiscal 2005, Colonel Rocchio said.

Reservists at Selfridge are eager to step up to the challenges that flying and maintaining a newer model KC135 will present.

"The conversion, at first, will require our maintenance technicians and aircrews to spend more time at the unit training on the new aircraft," said Senior Master Sgt. Larry Allen, aircraft maintenance specialist superintendent for the 927th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "Once initial training is complete, the wing will have the opportunity to take on new deployments. We will now be a full partner to Air Mobility Command, being proactive in taking on requirements around the world."

Sergeant Allen said that because the unit is equipped with E models, many times it was not forward-deployed into Central Command's area of responsibility. Instead, 927th aircraft and crews were used to build and maintain the air bridge to Europe or the Mediterranean. Various factors that kept E models out of Southwest Asia included availability of spare parts, the desire on the part of the Air Force to keep like aircraft in one region and the aircraft's reduced mission capability.

The Selfridge unit has developed training programs on both the maintenance and operations sides of the house to ensure everyone is fully qualified within the year given by the command to become fully operational.

In preparation for the transition, a select group of maintenance people received training from members of the 434th ARW, Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind., a mobile field training detachment and General Electric, maker of the aircraft's engines. These reservists will be responsible for providing "cascade" training to their fellow reservists to ensure everyone is up to snuff on the new aircraft.

Sergeant Allen said a major difference between the E and R models is the General Electric F-108 engines that replaced the Pratt & Whitney TF-33-102 engines on the older aircraft.

"The new engines are more powerful and reliable," he said. "Also, they are quieter, burn cleaner and last longer between failures. The improved reliability will reduce the number of man-hours we spend on maintenance for every hour of flight."

From an operational standpoint, the R models have a longer range, so they can stay in the air longer refueling other aircraft.

Sergeant Allen said he hopes that once the first aircraft lands at Selfridge it will take no more than a couple of weeks to complete the inspection, inventory and deferred write-up process before the aircraft is turned over to the 63rd Air Refueling Squadron to start flying sorties.

"The 927th prides itself on its reputation throughout AMC for maintaining its aircraft in outstanding condition," Sergeant Allen said. "The exemplary efforts of the maintenance squadron refurbishment section, combined with the competitive pride in ownership by the aircraft maintenance squadron crew chiefs, have resulted in aircraft that not only appear almost like new but fly reliably. The crew chiefs look forward to the challenges of bringing their newly assigned aircraft up to their own high standards."

The aviators within the 63rd ARS are poised to take to the skies in the new model aircraft, as they also have received training from the Grissom unit, completed simulator training and had cascade training from instructor pilots from within the unit.

"Per person, an average of four weeks of additional training, on top of yearly requirements, will be necessary to be trained on the new model," said Lt. Col. Mark Meacham, 63rd ARS director of operations. "Our operations tempo will continue to be at the same level for seven more months to complete conversion and train aircrews to the required training level."

Colonel Meacham said four out of the five systems--engines, pneumatics, electrical and power unit--in the aircraft are different. Aviators will have to adjust to stopping the R-model aircraft using the brakes rather than thrust reversers, because the new engines don't have them. With thrust reversers, which are on E models, pilots are able to stop the aircraft with minimal use of brakes.

Colonel Meacham said he expects overall morale in the unit to remain high throughout the conversion since aviators are looking forward to being able to deploy around the world and show off their talents. In addition, he believes the conversion will help retention numbers within the unit.

For boom operator Tech. Sgt. Brian McDonald, the new aircraft will require a minimum of two training sorties. He said much of the training for boom operators is on safety of flight issues that the whole crew will need to get used to.

"During the initial part of the sortie, boom operators are primary safety observers, assisting the pilots with situational awareness," he said. "In that role, (boom operators) will need to re-learn airspeeds, engine sounds and performance, and the instrument panels to be that extra set of eyes on the flight deck."

Sergeant McDonald, Colonel Mecham and the rest of the aviators in the 63rd will also have to adjust to longer sorties. The average sortie in an R-model aircraft is two to three hours longer than an E-model sortie.

Colonel Rocchio said the new refueling wings at Andrews and Portland, combined with the conversions at Selfridge and Beale, will give AFRC the capability to continue providing the Air Force with the global power and reach it needs to successfully conduct its worldwide mission.