SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mich. — The Michigan Air National Guard has begun implementing “Mission Next,” a sweeping modernization effort that will bring the F-15EX Eagle II fighter and KC-46 Pegasus air refueling aircraft to Selfridge Air National Guard Base. The transformation — one of the most significant in the 127th Wing’s history — includes nearly $1 billion in construction and infrastructure upgrades and will create new training and job opportunities for hundreds of Citizen-Airmen.
“Our Selfridge Airmen are fully committed and leaning into this effort to bring the most modern, most capable aircraft to our state and to be ready to fully execute our next missions at the highest level,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul D. Rogers, adjutant general and director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veteran Affairs. “We are grateful to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and our committed congressional delegation for prioritizing this initiative, ensuring that Michigan remains an integral piece in the nation’s defense strategy.”
In preparation for the first F-15EX arriving in 2028, a team of Michigan Air National Guard pilots and aircraft maintainers joined Rogers and other leaders for a visit to Boeing’s F-15EX assembly plant near St. Louis to review delivery timelines and program milestones.
“Mission Next is a complex, carefully sequenced effort,” said U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Leah Voelker, 127th Wing commander. “Every piece — construction, equipment, training and talent — must come together with precision so we can execute today’s mission with excellence while confidently stepping into our next chapter.”
President Donald Trump visited Selfridge on April 29, announcing the F-15EX would replace the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft the 127th Wing has flown since 2008. He also reaffirmed that the Wing would receive brand-new KC-46s to replace its KC-135 Stratotankers, in service with the Wing since 2006. The first KC-46s are expected to arrive in 2030. Construction to support the transition is already underway. A $28 million, 41,900-square-foot hangar for fighter maintenance is scheduled for completion in February. Overall, the base is slated for $985 million in new construction through 2031.
“This isn’t just new buildings,” said U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Daniel J. Kramer II, assistant adjutant general and commander of the Michigan Air National Guard. “While this will be the most significant change to the Selfridge skyline since the original permanent structures were built in the 1930s, we are also shifting the runway and installing new power and sewer lines. This is a full-scale modernization of Selfridge infrastructure.”
Even as Mission Next accelerates, the 127th Wing continues worldwide operations. The 171st Air Refueling Squadron and 191st Maintenance Squadron — known as the Michigan Six-Pack — recently returned from a short-notice deployment to U.S. Central Command. Many Airmen from the 127th Mission Support Group, 127th Medical Group and the wing headquarters are also deployed to the region. The 107th Fighter Squadron, known as the Red Devils, along with its maintenance units, are scheduled for its final A-10 deployment next year before transitioning to the F-15EX.
“It’s truly inspiring to watch the attitude, effort and resilience our Airmen bring to today’s mission while embracing the demands of what comes tomorrow,” Voelker said. “The coming years will be transformational for Selfridge and I’m confident our Airmen are ready to rise to every challenge as a team.”
Nearly all of Selfridge’s roughly 1,000 aircraft-related duty positions will require new training — ranging from formal Air Force technical schooling to extensive on-the-job instruction — to support the updated aircraft and mission sets.
The transition to the F-15EX and KC-46 marks the first time since the post-World War I establishment of the 127th Wing that it will receive two new aircraft types directly from the production line.