Boeing's KC-46 aerial refueling tanker conducts receiver compatibility tests with a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, in Seattle Christopher Okula/ U.S. Air Force/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
Business Insider: The US Air Force wants a bunch of new tankers to take the fight to China
* Concerned about the "pacing threat" that is the Chinese military, the US Air Force is looking to bolster its capabilities.
* The service wants more tanker aircraft to ensure that the US has the ability to bring its top assets, such as fighters and bombers, into the fight.
* While the US military is striving to guarantee readiness for a potential conflict, plans to strengthen the Air Force are intended as a deterrence message to rival challengers.
The US Air Force needs more tanker aircraft to ensure that America's heavy hitters can take the fight to China should a conflict arise, according to the service's senior leadership.
"The challenge in the Pacific is the tyranny of distance, and that means tanker squadrons are very important," Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson told Congress last week, Voice of America reported, noting that the Air Force plans to increase the number of tanker squadrons from 40 to 54 by 2030.
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WNU Editor: The U.S. Air Force's tanker fleet is one of the reasons why the U.S. military is a formidable foe. Hence the need to develop new tankers .... The U.S. Air Force Wants To Develop A Next-Generation Tanker Aircraft (October 31, 2016).
