A KC-135R Stratotanker crew from the 916th Air Refueling Wing flies along with the Air Force's newest fighter, the F-35.Lightning II. This Air Force Reserve wing was the first in Air Mobility Command to refuel the new joint strike fighter. (USAF photo by Darin Russell)

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With a tanker on-loan from McConnell AFB, a KC-135R crew from the 916th Air Refueling Wing flies along with the Air Force's newest fighter, the F-35.Lightning II. This Air Force Reserve wing was the first in Air Mobility Command to refuel the new joint strike fighter. (USAF photo by Darin Russell)

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A KC-135R Stratotanker from McConnell AFB with a crew from the 916th Air Refueling Wing refuels the Air Force's newest fighter, the F-35.Lightning II. This Air Force Reserve wing was the first in Air Mobility Command to refuel the new joint strike fighter. (USAF photo by Darin Russell)

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Reserve KC-135 crew first to refuel F-35

Published May 4, 2011
By Maj. Shannon Mann
916th Air Refueling Wing

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- The 916th Air Refueling Wing here scored another first when they refueled an F-35 Lightning II over California recently.

A flight and maintenance crew from the 911th Air Refueling Squadron deployed to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., became the first wing in Air Force Reserve Command and Air Mobility Command to refuel the F-35, the Air Force's newest joint strike fighter.The crew was in California from late March to early April supporting both F-35 and F-22 flight testing.

"We were the very first aircrew allowed to refuel the F-35, since the guidance allowing AMC crews to do so had just come out the night before," said Capt. Robert Draper, pilot.

The 916th Air Refueling Wing was also the first wing to refuel the F-22 a few years ago off the coast of Florida.