F-16 Falcon KC-46 Pegasus flight test program

Senior Airman Andres Elias(right), 412th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, and Senior Airman Cedrick Powell, 412 AMXS electrical and environmental specialist, clean the windshield of an F-16 Falcon on the McChord Field flightline, Oct. 26, 2015, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Local media were invited to McChord to view the aircraft and its aircrew to increase knowledge of how the F-16 aircrew is supporting the KC-46 Pegasus flight test program. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Naomi Shipley)

F-16

Master Sgt. Justin Suddeth, 40th Test Flight Squadron aerial broadcaster, gives an on-camera interview with local media outlets on the McChord Field flightline Oct. 26, 2015, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Suddeth is part of an Edwards Air Force Base F-16 Falcon aircrew here supporting the KC-46 Pegasus Flight Test Program.(U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Naomi Shipley)

F-16 KC-46

Maj. Matt Russell (left), 416th Flight Test Squadron F-16 Falcon pilot, and Christian Turner, 412th Test Squadron aerial photographer, get into an F-16 Falcon on the McChord Field flightline Oct. 26, 2015, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Russell and Turner, stationed out of Edwards Air Force Base, are temporarily located at McChord in support of the KC-46 Pegasus flight test program. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Naomi Shipley)

McChord's Media Day with the F-16s

Published Oct. 30, 2015
By Pamela Kulokas
Northwest Guardian

Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. -- About 10 reporters from the Puget Sound Region attended a media day Tuesday on McChord Field where they had the unique opportunity to learn about aircraft that don't normally fly in or around Joint Base Lewis-McChord airspace.

Air Force F-16B pilot Maj. Matt Russell, from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., along with an aerial photographer took to the sky Tuesday in a two-seat, F-16B Fighting Falcon in support of the new KC-46A Pegasus Flight Test Program operating out of Boeing Field in Seattle.

The Airmen's mission is part of ongoing tanker flight tests that began in September, specifically flying along as a photo chase aircraft capturing photos of the Air Force's newest tanker aircraft. The F-16B aircraft stages out of McChord Field and meets up with the tanker wherever it may be flying.

Once airborne, Russell and his aerial photographer flew within only 300 feet from the new tanker to capture video and still images of the KC-46A.

"It's a unique experience flying up alongside what is essentially (the size of) a passenger jet, at 300 feet away from it, and seeing how enormous it is," said Master Sgt. Justin "Chug" Suddeth, an aerial photographer from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

The F-16's speed, endurance and maneuverability make it an ideal choice for photo chase operations, according to Capt. Sean "Skeet" Richardson, F-16B test pilot, 416th Flight Test Squadron, from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

Since September, aircrews have performed about four test flights a week, all for the purpose of making sure the new KC-46A is performing as intended. The core mission of the new tanker is to refuel other aircraft in flight.

As with any new aircraft, there can be complications. After each flight, engineers look through imagery to see if the KC-46A meets expectations. Recording and analyzing mission data ensures any potential engineering and safety issues are ironed out during the flight test program.

"We're really excited to be here performing test support for the combination effort between Boeing and the Air Force to get their new KC-46A through the test program and out to the combat Air Forces around the world," Richardson said.

Tests of the new tanker are expected to continue for approximately 16 to 18 months, he said.

"People's lives are at stake, and it's the warfighters that are depending on it," Suddeth said. "We need to make sure we're getting it right."